Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This kids book is so great! It shows how important it is for inmates to find something meaningful to do while they do their time behind bars. Things like this give the inmates a positive purpose.
The Alcatraz history and pictures is interesting too.

This book is an appealing read for several reasons. The text is written in a friendly, easy to understand, and informative style. There are many interesting illustrations that work well to support the text. This is the story of Elliot Michener, a convicted printer of counterfeit money, was sent to prison at the notorious Alcatraz prison. Here he learned how to garden and the experience transformed his life forever. His love of gardening make him a better person. He was so trusted that he was promoted to work for the Warden and his wife in their home. So, what are we to think about this? Is this a lesson about how nurturing positive experiences is the answer to combatting crime? I'd like to think so, but there is no discussion of this. There is, instead, rich back matter that can be used to make a case. So as a teacher-educator, I would recommend this book to begin an inquiry about this. However, I would have also been interested in the author's thoughts about the implications of Michener's experience and helpful questions to think about this.

I was surprised to learn more about how the Alcatraz gardens came to be. The book is beautifully illustrated and was intriguing. The end includes contextual information about Alcatraz, including the Native occupation. The book felt a little preachy in showing this particular prisoner's transformation (find hard work and your life of crime will fade away).

The Gardener of Alcatraz is a gem of a children's book! It is the biography of a prisoner, Elliot Michener, who was sent to Alcatraz for counterfeiting money. When he is presented with an ethical choice, Michener chooses honesty and is rewarded by being put to work in the gardens of Alcatraz. It is in the gardens that Michener finds new meaning to his life which moves his life in an unexpected direction.

As a Bay Area native, I knew nothing of Elliot Michener or the gardens of Alcatraz. The story is simple for young children but interesting enough for older ones. The illustrations are beautiful. I enjoyed this book very much with my 8 and 11 year olds sons. If you are looking for a children's biography with a great story and captivating illustrations, this is one you must definitely read. And the author's notes at the end add a lot of easy to digest information about the history of Alcatraz.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for gifting me an advance e-copy of this beautiful book. This review can also be found on IG @maria.needs.to.read and on Goodreads

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Gardener of Alcatraz is the true story of Elliot Michener and his time in Alcatraz. In spite of his past he became trusted enough by the guards to maintain the prison gardens.

This book was surprisingly sweet given the topic. The illustrations are very nice and help to give the book a more whimsical feel. I grew up in the Bay Area and have visited Alcatraz several times and was unfamiliar with Elliot’s story. I appreciate that the author included some background about Alcatraz and its history. It also takes a thoughtful look at the prison’s use of prisoner labor.

While some may find the topic unusual, I think that The Gardener of Alcatraz would make a great addition to any school or homeschool library.

When you think of Alcatraz, what do you think of? The movie Escape from Alcatraz? How Al Capone was sent there? How Native Americans took over the island in the 1960s?

This picture book is an aspect of Alcatraz that we don't usually think of, the gardens that were built there. This is the story of the first prisoner gardener, Elliot Michener, who was at the prison for counterfeiting.

It is actually a sweet story, despite being about a prison, because we see in the picture book how slowly he brings colors to the gray island, and in learning how to garden, he also learns a trade he can use when he gets out of prison.

The picture book goes over the basic story of how it happened, with wonderful colorful pictures of the gardens he worked on. The back matter of the book explains what things they changed to make the book work, which was surprisingly very little. There really was a prisoner Elliot Michener, who gardened for the prison. And who didn't go back to counterfeiting when he finally got out, but instead continued to use his gardening skills.

We also learn that the park service has restored the gardens that he worked on to their former glory, now that Alcatraz is a state park.
<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. </em>

As a gardener, I loved this book. Proves that you can build a garden with determination, a shovel, research and perseverance.

Elliott Michener was caught counterfeiting and ended up at one of the toughest prisons in the US at the time. He was assigned to some menial jobs but with some honesty he obtained a gardening position (without any prior experience) and turned the island of Alcatraz from a rocky barren wasteland to a colorful and beautiful place where garden restoration has been revitalized in 2003.

Loved the story line (intended for children ages 7-10) and also the detailed pages at the end probably intended for parents, but likely children will read as their vocabulary grows.

Illustrations by Jenn Ely are beautiful and are likely to keep readers engaged.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emma Bland Smith the author, Jenn Ely the illustrator and Charlesbridge the publisher for the opportunity to review the advance read copy of The Gardener of Alcatraz in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for finding and sharing this wonderful (based on actual events) story. Publication date is Apr 5, 2022.

The Gardener of Alcatraz is an engaging picture book that spotlights the redemption of Elliott Michener, a convicted counterfeiter. The lush illustrations done in gouache by Jenn Ely effectively demonstrate Elliott’s transformation from dreary, disheartened prisoner, to hopeful man.