Time for a gardening class

Now is a good time to learn about spring planting and getting your garden prepared for the new season. Wave Hill Garden in the Bronx has 2 upcoming programs of interest to check out. The Horticultural Lecture Series: The Curious Plantsman—Challenging Convention: Plant Trials by Design and Workshop with the Gardeners: Habitat Cutback for Home Gardens.

Rex Ogle has written his autiobiography in Free Lunch, a story about a young boy trying to survive a year in sixth grade. His dad left the family when Rex was five, and his mom has had many boyfriends, but they are now living with her latest, Sam, the maintenance man for their apartment complex. The family lives on food stamps, since Sam draws a small salary and Rex’s mother is out of a job. Both adults are physically abusive toward each other, and Rex’s mother is very abusive with him. Rex must watch his two and a half year old younger brother constantly, and is forced to grow up quickly, given all his responsibilities. There is a light at the end of the story, but Rex effectively illustrates how living in poverty makes for a miserable existence. A good read for today’s youth, especially those who take their wealth for granted.

NYBG Children’s Gardening Programs

The NY Botanical Garden operates a children’s program teaching about gardening, composting, and pollination. Two groups up to age 12 gather in the children’s garden where kids can plant, harvest and get dirty while learning about the natural world. Highly recommended! Classes also prepare light meals with ingredients from the garden and take home fresh vegetables and herbs as they grow.

Ian Falconer

The author and illustrator of the infamous Olivia picture book series, Ian Falconer, passed away last Tuesday, March 7, due to kidney failure. He won a Caldecott Honor Award in 2000 for Olivia, about a feisty young pig, first in the series of seven titles, which he originally wrote for his young niece. Falconer was also a set and costume designer for the theatre, and created 30 covers for the New Yorker. He will be missed in the world of children’s books…

House in the Pines

This new thriller begins with a video gone viral. A man and a woman sit across from each other in a diner. The security footage shows them talking. Suddenly, the woman slumps forward and dies. Strange and yet years ago Maya saw the same thing happen to her best friend. With the same man. She has never recovered. Maya is the only person who believes the man murdered these women. How can she prove it?