The Night Gardener

The Night Gardener
Jonathan Auxier
Amulet Books
On Shelves May 20, 2014

Every now and again when we get really lucky, we encounter a story that reminds us why there’s nothing in the world that compares to finishing a really good book. For a reading teacher it’s an essential reminder that we must do more than deliver skills to kids. We need our students to experience what it’s like to lose themselves in a story. It is with the utmost reverence that I express how Jonathan Auxier’s forthcoming title, The Night Gardener has captured the very essence of a good story’s power. It’s a tale so etherial, it made the world around me feel two dimensional in comparison.

Plenty of great books keep you entertained from the first page to the last. For me, the mark of an exceptional book is how much I remember about it weeks, months, even years after I’ve finished. It’s been six months and I can still feel the story. I can picture Constance’s ring falling off of her finger and the need to put the book down for a moment so I could take in how the action of a ring hitting the floor could evoke such terror. The deep pride I felt for Molly, who could take an ordinary button, what little she has to her possession, and transformed it into a sense of security for her brother. And Kip, who’s cheery, confident, and courageous demeanor preserved Molly’s true north. It’s not just the world, and characters, and tone of the book that still resonates. As I read it, I recall vivid details about how the effected my life.

On the way home from NCTE in Boston I marked my page with my finger as I handed over my boarding pass so that I could pick the story while I waited in line to step on to the plane. I was lost in the world of the book and at the same time, I was proud to publicly share the act of reading. The next evening I helped friends consolidate some furniture into a storage unit. After we finished, they offered to take me out for a bite to eat. I hesitated. I was thrilled to help but dinner seemed optional even though I did have to eat. When they questioned my dejected response, I explained how hopelessly lost I was in world of The Night Gardener. It wasn’t just the story that seared itself into my memory. I viscerally recall the experience of this book affecting my life. Rarely reading as a kid, the few books that did reach me created this type of memory. I saw myself as reader differently. With its suspenseful spookiness, vivid world, endearing characters, and expert pacing, my hunch is that this is a book that will inspire the same feelings for many, many kids. 

I’m thankful for The Night Gardener. It’s a story that helps us see the person that we are and the person we want to become more clear. It’s a story that uniquely conveys to middle grade readers that good and evil within the human condition is not dichotomous. But most importantly It’s a story that enthralls and entertains.

So if you’ve read the book already, go out and pick up a copies for the readers in your life. I fully believe there’s no better way to engender the respect and adoration of a child than to hand them an engrossing story. By getting this book into the hands of as many readers as possible, we can all do our part this week to tell bookstores and publishers that we want more stories like The Night Gardener in the world.  

Early Praise!

Betsy Bird

Get to know Jonathan

Children's Book Week Champion
You'll be amazed by how much book love Jonathan can cram into a minute. 

Pittsburg Creative Morning Series
Jonathan Auxier discusses inspiration and the importance of creativity in writing at  Pittsburg's Creative Morning series. 

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