Making Peas

by S M R Saia, Tina Perko (Illustrator)

Overview

First-grade gardener Gertie Green faces off with new words, an unsympathetic teacher, and an annoying new student in this beautifully illustrated chapter book for young readers.

From the moment Clark shows up in her first grade class, Gertie knows he's going to be trouble. Clark doesn't follow any of the rules. He calls her Gertrude the Rude and gets her blamed for things that aren't even her fault. Then he starts blowing spit wads at her. How do you fight back against someone like that without breaking the rules yourself?

A new vocabulary word brings a stroke of inspiration though, and after an afternoon planting peas in the garden with Grandma Trudy, Gertie's plan seems to be falling into place. But when things take an unexpected turn, Gertie learns that friendship, like seeds, can sprout up and grow in even the most unexpected places.

This is the debut title of this beautifully illustrated, early reader chapter book series about friendship, gardening, and the power and importance of being yourself. Each book features a different vegetable as a key part of the story and includes how-to-grow information for young gardeners.

Visit the Free Digital Downloads tab of the publisher's website (shelfspacebooks.com) for an extensive selection of companion resources to go along with the Gertie in the Garden books, like food and gardening activities and coloring books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781945713200
Publisher:	Shelf Space Books
Publication date:	06/01/2021
Series:	Gertie in the Garden , #1
Pages:	88
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.18(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

S.M.R. Saia is the author of two book series for children: the Little Ant Books (read aloud stories for ages 3 to 5) and the Gertie in the Garden books (garden-themed early reader chapter books for ages 6 to 9). Her professional experience in the book world includes owning a corporate book fair business and freelancing as a self-publishing coach. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. For the past several years she has worked developing English Language Arts Worksheets for K - 12, using creative strategies to present, teach, and provide students with an opportunity to practice grade-appropriate Language Arts concepts and skills.

Tina Perko was born in Ljubljana in 1971. She holds a Masters degree in fashion design from Instituto Marangoni in Milano, Italy. For the last 10 years she has been illustrating picture books and writing stories. She has also been a contributor to children's magazines. Today, Tina is a well-established Slovenian illustrator with many books published. She is represented by the Swiss Milan Illustration Agency (MIA) and works for clients worldwide.

Editorial Reviews

"Making Peas...does an excellent job of juxtaposing growing peas with fostering better approaches to life. It's especially recommended for collections looking to instill lessons about the value of growing food and handling challenging peer relationships by making better choices."

~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

"An engaging interpersonal drama for early elementary readers."

~ Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2021-06-19
First grader Gertie has issues with an annoying student, her school’s rules, and her old-fashioned name in this illustrated children’s book.

Clark Whittle sits down next to Gertie and calls her Gertrude, even after she tells him her preferred name, which gives her a rotten feeling about him right away. He goes on to kick her table leg and trip her in the cafeteria, goading her into throwing an apple at him, whereupon she’s taken to the principal’s office. But Gertie notes that Clark isn’t the only one causing her problems: Her teacher also calls her Gertrude, and so do her parents, who gave her the name that she hates. Gertie decides that her name will now be Diana, like Wonder Woman’s alter ego, because “nobody is mean to Wonder Woman.” Dad points out that this isn’t quite true: “people are mean to Wonder Woman all the time.” She goes on to understand that adults are sometimes unpleasant to each other, as when she hears Mom and Grandma Trudy talking loudly through her bedroom wall, arguing about the new name and perhaps something else, too. When her short-lived new name solves none of her problems, Gertie decides that she must settle the score with a duel. Can Gertie and Clark reconcile and make peace without adult intervention? Saia, the author of Little Ant and the Spider (2019), realistically depicts a literal-minded, rule-loving, conflict-prone child who’s unsettled by adult nonchalance toward her world’s frequent injustices—such as being told to read a book she doesn’t want to read and being forced to reckon with an enemy by herself. Although the specifics of this school strife (spitball-shooting bullies; disinterested, unaccommodating teachers) seem a tad dated, children facing adult indifference will find empathy here regarding their plight. Perko’s lively, loose grayscale pen-and-ink illustrations will add interest for young readers. Gertie, Clark, and Gertie’s family present as White; Gertie’s friend Janie has curly hair and darker skin.

An engaging interpersonal drama for early elementary readers.

Kirkus Reviews