Mary Quattlebaum – författare

Nothing but a big mess of trouble and weeds..That''s what Jackson Jones thinks of the garden plot his mother gives him for his tenth birthday. What happened to the basketball he''s hoped and prayed for all year?When Jackson comes up with a moneymaking scheme for the garden, it doesn''t seem so bad after all. He even cuts his friends in on the action. But before long, Jackson finds out that friends and business don''t always mix. When the neighborhood bully calls him "Bouquet Jones," Jackson is ready to give up. Maybe gardens don''t belong in cities after all....Winner of the first annual Marguerite de Angeli Prize.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Jackson Jones can''t get away from roses. First his mother got him a plot at Rooter''s, a community garden, where Jackson planted a rosebush of thorns and no blooms. Now Mr. K., a fellow gardener, enlists Jackson''s help to rustle up some hardier, prettier, sweeter-smelling old-time roses. The kind that grow in cemeteries! But no sooner do Jackson and his good friend, Reuben, take the rose cutting home than Reuben''s gloom-and-doom talk of curses seems real.Broken bones. Poison ivy. Stinging bees. Jackson doesn''t want to believe that anyone who comes in contact with the cemetery roses or cut twig suffers any of these consequences. But could it be that by taking the cutting, Jackson places his friends, Rooter''s, and even himself--gulp!--under the curse of the outlaw rose?From the Hardcover edition.

Ben Watson has been shuffled from foster home to foster home since he was 5 years old. Seven homes in six years. He’s gotten used to blanking folks out, leaving them behind, and waiting for the day when he can leave foster care forever. Now, at the age of 11, Ben’s just arrived at home number eight. But he’s finding it hard to blank out the Torgles, his new foster parents, and their house full of strays: the 7-year-old twins, Kate and Jango, and the baby, Grover G. Graham. Grover’s just over a year old and always getting into trouble, but Ben can’t help liking the little guy — especially since Grover was abandoned by his teenage mother, just like Ben was. The only difference is that Grover’s mother, Tracey, is still trying to get custody of her child. But Ben is convinced Tracey will abandon Grover again. So when he gets the chance to escape from the system, Ben takes it. And he takes Grover with him.From the Hardcover edition.

Basketball-loving Jackson Jones never wanted any part of Rooter’s, the community garden where his mother got him his very own plot for his 10th birthday. But he made the best of it, even planting a thorny rosebush. Now, after months of watering, weeding, and waiting, red roses have finally bloomed. So when Jackson learns that big city developers want to bulldoze Rooter’s, he can’t believe it. The garden means something to him, and he likes hanging out with the neighbors who tend their own plots. But what can Jackson do?With unasked-for help from well-meaning friends—and going to great lengths to avoid a fearsome bully who loves to taunt him—Jackson sets out to save Rooter’s. But coming up with a winning strategy isn’t so easy.From the Hardcover edition.

A fluffy chicken and a pup on wheels? A goat and a donkey who are inseparable? Puppy and cheetah best friends? This new chapter book features all kinds of heartwarming, awwwww-inspiring—and completely true—stories about animal friendships. It''s so funny, sweet, and filled with engaging photos, fast facts, and fascinating sidebars, that you can''t help but want to cuddle up and read about these unlikely pairings and animal best buddies.