We Are A Garden: The Story of How Diversity Took Root in America

Information picture book, 40 pages. Beginning 15,000 years ago, this is the story of the many different migrants who have made their homes in North America. Published by Schwartz & Wade in 2021.

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Recap & Review

Using the imagery of wind blowing - textually and visually - We Are A Garden surveys a significant chunk of North American migration history. And it is fascinating!

The premise that all Americans are migrants or descendants of migrants is beautifully presented, reminding us

""They" become "we," and we become a garden. A garden of friends, family and neighbors. A garden of Americans who turn to face the wind."

This is a timely message for all of us and a good jumping off point for celebrating Black History Month.

Learning Suggestions

Family Read Aloud Time
Reading We Are A Garden as a family will prompt many worthwhile conversations about what it means to be an American.

Learning at Home
Use the resources provided in the book to create lessons about the numerous waves of immigration from the First People to enslaved Africans to contemporary immigration.

Classroom Options
We Are a Garden is an excellent title to set the stage for teaching Black History Month. ADL Education's 10 Ideas For Teaching Black History Month can be adapted K-12.

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L. Westberg Peters

Westberg Peters is the author of quite a few children's stories. The electronic rights to her science poetry books were recently purchased by National Geographic and Pearson Education.

V. Tentler-Krylov

Tentler-Krylov is a practicing architect who also illustrates children's books, as well as publishing editorial illustrations in the Boston Globe and the Wall Street Journal.

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