The Night Garden

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Description

It is World War II and Franny Whitekraft lives with her parents, Sina and Old Tom, on a farm on Vancouver Island. Their peaceful life is interrupted when their neighbour, Crying Alice, begs Sina to watch her children while she goes to visit her husband at the military base because she suspects he's up to no good. Soon after the children move in, letters arrive from their father that suggest he's about to do something to change their lives. And appearances from a stubborn young cook, UFOs, hermits, and ghosts only make life stranger Can the forbidden night garden that supposedly grants everyone one wish help And if so, at what cost

Reviews

"Horvath infuses her novel with such heart, zest, and humor in the small moments that she's created a book her devoted fan base will cherish. Notably, the denizens of Vancouver Island have a delicious lack of separation between adult and child--all are wholeheartedly curious, beautifully flawed, and deeply amusing." --Booklist, starred review

"Events glide from the domestic to offbeat to the supernatural without any friction, creating a world where anything is possible . . . [A] story of community and love and families in all their messy glory." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Horvath's bright prose and unerring sense of timing keep us turning pages to arrive at the book's final, transcendently profound, scene." --Horn Book

"The quirky characters and Franny's dry-humored narration stand out as Horvath invokes classic literary elements of orphans, secret gardens, and found families." --Publishers Weekly

"Thoughtful, hilarious, and moving; repeated readings reveal even more to appreciate in this superbly crafted tale. An essential purchase for all middle grade collections." --School Library Journal

Author Bio

Polly Horvath has written many books for children. She has won numerous awards including a National Book Award and a Newbery Honor. She has also been short-listed for The Deutscher Jugenliteraturpreis, Germany's most prestigious literature award, and the Writer's Trust Vicky Metcalfe Award for her body of work. She lives in British Columbia. pollyhorvath.com