A Garden Called Home

What makes the place we live feel like home? This is a warm-hearted and lush picture book about family, the immigrant experience and how a simple garden can foster a connection to the larger natural world.

When a young girl and her mother go to visit her family, the girl notices a change. At home, her mother mostly stays inside. Here, her mother likes to explore and go hiking. The girl has never seen her so happy! Her mother tells her about the trees, bushes, flowers and birds. Did you know that tree roots make mountains strong? And that ài hāo (mugwort) is used to make delicious, sweet dumplings?

But her mother’s smile goes away when they return home. It’s cold and she doesn’t want to go outside. She goes back to wearing her big quilted jackets and watering her houseplants. How can the girl show her mother that nature here can be wondrous too?

Includes a glossary of plants with Mandarin/English words. 48 pages. Written by Jessica J. Lee, illustrated by Elaine Chen. Recommended for ages 3 to 7.