Celia Planted a Garden: The Story of Celia Thaxter and Her Island Garden

Vivid nature writing infuses this picture book biography of New England artist and poet Celia Thaxter (1835–1894). The story opens with Thaxter’s rugged childhood at a lighthouse on White Island and her teen years on Appledore Island, where she installed a garden near her family’s hotel. After marriage takes Thaxter to the mainland, a longing (for “the tumbled shores of her island home, and the rising and falling tides, and the crash of the waves on the rocks”) inspires poetry and annual visits to Appledore for gardening. In mixed media, Sweet showcases florals on every page, weaving in quotes from Thaxter’s own writing. Largely eliding her artistic and writerly accomplishments, Root and Schmidt’s simplified portrait predominantly emphasizes the vibrant flowers Thaxter cultivated wherever she went. Back matter includes an author’s note, extensive timeline, and bibliography. Ages 5–9. (May)