Status
Checked out
Due 2024-04-20
Collection
Publication
New York : Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016.
Description
Everyone on Grimloch Lane enjoys the trees and shrubs clipped into animal masterpieces after dark by the Night Gardener, but William, a lonely boy, spots the artist, follows him, and helps with his special work.
User reviews
LibraryThing member nbmars
A dreary town and a lonely boy named William who lives in its orphanage have their lives transformed by a mysterious topiary artist who comes at night and turns the trees into a magical kingdom of animals. Joy and color come back to the streets, and neither the town nor William is ever the
There isn’t much of a story here, but the illustrations by brothers Terry and Eric Fan are magnificent. In a cross-hatched style, they create a fantasy world that will enchant the reader as much as the townspeople.
While the art initially just employs dull hues, it starts to take on color as people in the town come to life.
Evaluation: I doubt it will matter much to the intended age group - 3-6, that the story is thin; they will spend too much time marveling at the pictures.
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same.There isn’t much of a story here, but the illustrations by brothers Terry and Eric Fan are magnificent. In a cross-hatched style, they create a fantasy world that will enchant the reader as much as the townspeople.
While the art initially just employs dull hues, it starts to take on color as people in the town come to life.
Evaluation: I doubt it will matter much to the intended age group - 3-6, that the story is thin; they will spend too much time marveling at the pictures.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Whisper1
INCREDIBLE! Beautiful images to tell the story of a little boy living in the Grimloch Orphanage where outside his window there is a topiary wise owl appearing overnight. William spent the day staring at this unique happening. The next morning, the town noticed a topiary of a cat. The next days
The townspeople where united and the topiaries brought them together. One night, William saw an elderly man with tools and a ladder. As he walked into Grimloch Park, he told William he could use some help. And, thus William became the assistant to the Night Gardener. And, as the final beautiful images of the Night Gardener and William working together into the night!
Such an incredible book. This is yet another stellar artistic masterpiece of the Fan Brothers, Terry and Erik
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contained a topiary of a rabbit, a beautiful parakeet, an elephant, and then the townspeople jointly traveled to a space where there was a quite large and beautiful topiary of a dragon.The townspeople where united and the topiaries brought them together. One night, William saw an elderly man with tools and a ladder. As he walked into Grimloch Park, he told William he could use some help. And, thus William became the assistant to the Night Gardener. And, as the final beautiful images of the Night Gardener and William working together into the night!
Such an incredible book. This is yet another stellar artistic masterpiece of the Fan Brothers, Terry and Erik
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
William wakes up one morning to discover that the residents of Grimloch Lane have been visited in the night by a mysterious topiary artist, who has shaped one of the trees in the Grimloch Orphanage's yard into the figure of an owl. Enraptured by this beautiful surprise, William (a resident of the
This debut picture-book from brothers Terry and Eric Fan is a work of astonishing beauty! I was immediately drawn in by the cover art, with its moon-drenched night-time vista, and its mysterious owl topiary. The interior of the book more than lives up to that first impression of beauty and enchantment. From the decorative end-papers to the gorgeous interior drawings, done in graphite and colored digitally, everything about The Night Gardener is lovely. The night-scapes feature the same blue shades as the cover, whereas the daytime scenes vary more in color scheme. The setting is historical (perhaps 1930s?), but the neighborhood is diverse. The many neighborhood cats, who are frequently to be seen, are a welcome addition. The tale itself, in which a mysterious night gardener gives a gift of beauty to a neighborhood, reminded me a bit of Timmerman Was Here, which is high praise. Recommended to anyone who appreciated beautiful picture-books, or who wants a lovely tale of a gardener-artist who gives a gift to those around him!
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orphanage) gazes in wonder all day, and well into the night. The guerrilla gardener strikes again that night, and a massive cat-shaped tree is discovered the next day. A friendly rabbit, a pretty parakeet and a playful elephant soon follow. After the creation of a magnificent arboreal dragon, which becomes the site of a community-wide celebration, William encounters the mysterious Night Gardener, and helps him to transform Grimloch Park into a veritable wonderland. When William awakens the next morning, it is to find that his new friend has left him a parting gift, in addition to the legacy he has left the whole town...This debut picture-book from brothers Terry and Eric Fan is a work of astonishing beauty! I was immediately drawn in by the cover art, with its moon-drenched night-time vista, and its mysterious owl topiary. The interior of the book more than lives up to that first impression of beauty and enchantment. From the decorative end-papers to the gorgeous interior drawings, done in graphite and colored digitally, everything about The Night Gardener is lovely. The night-scapes feature the same blue shades as the cover, whereas the daytime scenes vary more in color scheme. The setting is historical (perhaps 1930s?), but the neighborhood is diverse. The many neighborhood cats, who are frequently to be seen, are a welcome addition. The tale itself, in which a mysterious night gardener gives a gift of beauty to a neighborhood, reminded me a bit of Timmerman Was Here, which is high praise. Recommended to anyone who appreciated beautiful picture-books, or who wants a lovely tale of a gardener-artist who gives a gift to those around him!
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LibraryThing member melodyreads
Someone is pruning trees into giant animals, and William eventually finds him. Magical book.
LibraryThing member SmuckersLewis
The illustrations are beautiful, but the story felt a bit flat. I was hoping for there to be a stronger moral or dilemma. When it was over, my kids said, "that's it?" Still a delightful story.
LibraryThing member Dipodomy
A slightly fantastical story of a community brought together by art and the effects of this art on a local orphan. The twist is that the artist is a mysterious 'night gardener,' who uses local trees for their art and who's identity is unknown. A sweet story, nice ink and pencil art with a good use
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of color to symbolize the changes the citizens undergo. Show Less
LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
A little boy wakes up to find a tree on his street has been magically sculpted into an owl. Each subsequent morning, a new topiary appears in the town, until one night, as the little boy is on his way home, he "catches" the night gardener coming to work. Not much story here, but the illustrations
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are just exquisite. There is a message in it, though, about how beauty and magic can transform the ordinary. Show Less
LibraryThing member bucketofrhymes
Absolutely magical! I don't know if it's the [absolutely gorgeous] illustrations or the idea of trees mysteriously being pruned at night... but this reminds me of those perfect, kind of spooky and atmospheric children's books I used to devour over and over -- like Ben's Dream, or Tuesday.
LibraryThing member ChelleBearss
A lovely children’s book about a small town coming to life after discovering topiaries in their trees each morning. I loved how the book started with colour only on the trees and then by the end the people and town were very colourful as well. My three year old really enjoyed this and asked to
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leave it beside her bed for tonight as well. 4🌟 Show Less
LibraryThing member amyghilton
Beautiful book and one of my son's favorites.
LibraryThing member MunsonWilliams
In the spirit of Goodnight Moon and The Curious Garden comes a stunning debut picture book filled with whimsy and creativity from brothers Terry and Eric Fan.
One day, William discovers that the tree outside his window has been sculpted into a wise owl. In the following days, more topiaries appear,
With breathtaking illustrations and spare, sweet text, this masterpiece about enjoying the beauty of nature is sure to become an instant classic.
One day, William discovers that the tree outside his window has been sculpted into a wise owl. In the following days, more topiaries appear,
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and each one is more beautiful than the last. Soon, William’s gray little town is full of color and life. And though the mysterious night gardener disappears as suddenly as he appeared, William—and his town—are changed forever.With breathtaking illustrations and spare, sweet text, this masterpiece about enjoying the beauty of nature is sure to become an instant classic.
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LibraryThing member Linyarai
Very whimsical, pretty illustrations.
LibraryThing member fuzzi
Magical story about a transformation of a community. The illustrations are jaw-dropping amazing, I could study them for hours.
LibraryThing member jennybeast
Beautiful, whimsical, wonderful. I do love a book with ridiculous topiary and great imagination.
Awards
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — Picturebook — 2018)
Monarch Award (Nominee — 2019)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Children's Picture — 2018)
Parents' Choice Book Award (2016)
UKLA Book Award (Shortlist — 2018)
Growing Good Kids Book Award (2017)
Blue Spruce Award (Nominee — 2017)
Irma Black Award (Contender — 2017)
Charlotte Huck Award (Honor — 2017)
Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award (Winner — 2017)
Star of the North Picture Book Award (Nominee — 2018)
Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award (Honor — 2017)
Gouden Griffel (Vlag en Wimpel — 2017)
NPR: Books We Love (2016)
Kansas NEA Reading Circle Recommended Book (Primary — 2017)
New York Public Library Best Books: For Kids (Picture Books — 2016)
Notable Children's Book (Younger Readers — 2017)
Nerdy Book Award (2016)
Teacher Favorites Award (2017)
Language
Original publication date
2016
ISBN
1481439782 / 9781481439787