Holly Bloom's Garden

$15.95 US $23.95 CAN

HOLLY BLOOM’S GARDEN Late bloomer Holly yearns to be a great gardener but doesn’t seem to have the knack. Despite suggestions and support from green-thumbed mom, Iris, and siblings, Rose and Bud, Holly just can’t get her garden to grow. She waters and fertilizes and uses all the right gardening tools, but her daffodils droop and her petunias look pathetic. Holly, disappointed but not discouraged, is determined to succeed. Armed with a positive attitude and unwavering persistence, she finally understands her artistic father’s creative advice, “There are many different kinds of tools. You just need to find the ones that work for you.” This encouragement sparks a burst of inspiration, and Holly plants a garden that surprises everyone. This inspiring story of perseverance and self-discovery is lush with luminous color illustrations. Holly Bloom’s Garden teaches plenty about gardening, but more about the importance of being yourself and finding your own true talents – even if that makes you a late bloomer.

Written by Sarah Ashman and Nancy Parent Illustrated by Lori Mitchell

Flashlight Press New York

A special thank you to the Lipson Family, Susan, Barry, Elle, Ian, and especially Lainey, for posing for the book.

Copyright © 2004 by Flashlight Press Text copyright © 2004 by Sarah Ashman and Nancy Parent Illustrations copyright © 2004 by Lori Mitchell All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction, in whole or in part, in any form. Printed at Hemed Press, Israel. First Edition – April 2004. Library of Congress Control Number: 2003116494 ISBN 978-1-936261-09-3 Print ISBN 978-0-972922-50-0 Editor: Shari Dash Greenspan Graphic Design: The Virtual Paintbrush Title Design: Dean Mitchell This book was typeset in Adobe Garamond. Illustrations were created using black Prismacolor pencil and acrylic paint on Arches hotpress watercolor paper. Distributed by Independent Publishers Group Flashlight Press • 3709 13th Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11218 www.FlashlightPress.com

To both Howards, big and little; to Ron and Michael and, of course, to the original Holly Bloom. – Sarah Ashman and Nancy Parent

I dedicate this book to my mom, Snip, who has encouraged me to draw ever since I could hold a crayon. – Lori Mitchell

HOLLY BLOOM felt as grouchy as the thorns on a rosebush. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make her f lowers grow. “Don’t worry, Sweetpea,” said Holly’s mother, Iris. “Some people, like some f lowers, take longer to bloom. They’re called late bloomers. Keep trying. Your f lowers will grow soon.”

“I’ll plant a garden for you,” said Holly’s older sister, Rosie, who had not been a late bloomer. Rosie’s f lowers were famous all over town. But Holly did not want Rosie to plant a garden for her. She wanted to plant her own.

What I really need, thought Holly, is a green thumb. Mama says people who can grow f lowers have a green thumb. So Holly took out her paint box, mixed together some blue and yellow paint, and gave herself a green thumb.

Then she went outside and planted some new f lowers.

But Holly’s green thumb disappeared before dinner. And her dahlias drooped before she’d even had dessert.

Maybe fertilizer would help, thought Holly. But the fertilizer tickled Holly’s nose and her sneezes blew it all away.

Her brother Bud said, “You need to find the right tools.” So Holly looked in the shed. First, Holly tried a hoe. She worked until she’d made a perfect patch of dirt. Then she dug some holes in the ground with a trowel. Into each hole she put a f lower.

Holly filled a watering can and carried it back to the garden to give her f lowers a little drink. But the watering can was so heavy she accidentally soaked them.

In the morning, Holly ran to the window to check on her f lowers. Her daisies had wilted and her petunias looked pathetic. “I guess I didn’t use the right tools,” thought Holly, going back to the shed. “What’s up, Ladybug?” asked Holly’s father, Harold. “I want to grow f lowers like Mom and Bud and Rosie,” Holly said, “but I don’t have the right tools.” “Hmmm,” said her father. “There are many different kinds of tools. You just need to find the ones that work for you.” Holly nodded, but she didn’t know what other tools to try.

Holly walked sadly through the garden looking at all the pretty f lowers that her mother, sister and brother had planted. Their bluebells were brilliant, their gardenias were glorious and their daffodils were simply dazzling. Wherever Holly Bloom looked someone else’s f lowers were blooming.

That night, Holly’s parents tucked her into bed. “Good night, Ladybug,” said her father, kissing Holly on the forehead. “Sleep tight, Sweetpea,” said her mother, turning off the light. But Holly wasn’t ready to sleep. She had thought of a way to make her garden grow.

When everyone had gone to bed, Holly tiptoed into her father’s art studio. His brushes and paint tubes were all over the room, but Holly found what she needed in the special corner her father had made for her. Holly worked in the studio all night without making any noise.

In the morning, Holly’s father put breakfast on the table while her mother arranged some snapdragons in a vase. “Wake up, Holly! Time for breakfast!” her father called. Holly’s muff led voice came from inside her father’s studio. “Just a minute,” she replied. "Holly!” her mother cried. “Were you in there all night?” “Come on out, Ladybug,” said her father with a grin.

Slowly the door opened and there stood Holly Bloom, surrounded by f lowers. Oh, what a garden she’d grown! There were tissue paper tulips, crepe paper chrysanthemums and pipe cleaner pansies. Her f lowers were made of paper and paste and sparkles and paint. They were full of life, and guaranteed to last forever.

And best of all, they were grown especially by Holly Bloom.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Nancy Parent is the author of over 75 children’s books including Oh Bother! It’s the Easter Bunny (PW Children's bestseller). She was the script supervisor on Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and worked as Senior Editor of Disney’s Mouse Works imprint where she wrote and developed several lines of books. Nancy lives in South Pasadena, California. Sarah Ashman is a writer and editor specializing in comics and humor. She was Director of Comic Art at United Feature Syndicate where she acquired and developed Scott Adams’ Dilbert and Pat Brady’s Rose is Rose, among others. The many comics she has edited include Peanuts by Charles Schulz and Garfield by Jim Davis. Sarah lives in Tarrytown, New York.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR Lori Mitchell is an award-winning illustrator whose first children’s book, Different Just Like Me, was an ABA Kids Pick of the Lists in 1999 and appeared on Oprah! Lori also works as an editorial and advertising illustrator, and lives in San Diego, California.

Flashlight Press New York

www.FlashlightPress.com

Distributed by Independent Publishers Group

ISBN 0-972-92250-4

51595

9 780972 922500