What's the secret to growing beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables? Dierdra's about to find out! After she plants her first garden, pests and weeds show up to give her trouble. But with the help of her grandmother, her triplet sisters, and her own curiosity, she soon learns much more than she expected about the magic of a garden.
This charming second book from writer and illustrator Dalyce Elliott Young features all-new adventures with the characters from her first book, Ellie & the Golden Cricket.
Dalyce Elliott Young's first book, Ellie & the Golden Cricket, won a Moonbeam Children's Book Award in 2015. Her second, Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies, grew out of her family's love for gardening. Her mother's beautiful flower and vegetable gardens, along with her "green thumb" advice, motivated Dalyce and her sister to run their own landscape design and care business for twenty-five years. Dalyce is a triplet, and she has two children and eight grandchildren. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and is married to the poet, Timothy Young.
“This whimsical and sweet summertime story celebrates gardening, teamwork, and a grandmother’s patient guidance. Uniquely charming illustrations bring to life the book’s folktale feel, and young readers will enjoy discovering what makes gardening magical—both the real and imaginary—alongside Dierdra.” —Jessie Bowman, assistant production editor, Scholastic Inc.
“Every page of Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies is alive with something even more magical than the fairies themselves: Dalyce Elliott Young’s bold and original visual imagination, lighting every corner of her characters' world with spirit, personality, and sweetness. To enter this book is to recover the strange and beautiful enchantment of our own childhood.” —Thomas R. Smith, author of Medicine Year and Storm Island
“Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies is a beautiful and spirited story with vibrant, eye-catching illustrations. As a music therapist and mother of two young children, I am always looking for stories that will engage children of all abilities, with a positive message. Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies shows the determination of a young girl who is patient and not willing to give up, even when things do not go as planned. This story is a wonderful complement to Young's first book, Ellie & the Golden Cricket.” —Maureen Korthals, music therapist
“With warmth, playfulness, garden knowledge, and some fairy magic, Dalyce Elliott Young gives us her newest book, Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies. Young takes us on a journey of grandmother wisdom as she helps her grandchildren bring a garden to life. A lovely story, artfully drawn, rich in color, with fine details of summer and the natural world.” —Diane Jarvenpa, author of six poetry books, including her latest, Shy Lands
“Dierdra’s love of the natural world, helped along by the wisdom of her grandmother, sets the stage for a delightful tale that captures the essence of childhood and summertime. Ms. Young’s illustrations keep surprising the reader, for there is something new to discover on every page. I particularly loved the way each character’s gift was celebrated, making the garden thrive. My three- and five-year-old neighbors give this book a thumbs up!” —Leslie Rapp, communication coach, lecturer, Cornell University
“Dalyce Elliott Young is an inspired artist who expresses her creativity in many ways including writing, drawing, playing her violin, designing gardens, and working with her patients as a devoted caregiver. Her compassion and creativity have enabled her to connect well with children and the elderly. Creating this book was a wonderful way to join her talents and passions to teach age-old lessons through beautifully illustrated gardening adventures.” —Cherryl Quick, LSW, MA, licensed social worker
“From this beautifully illustrated book by Dalyce Elliott Young, we see how imagination, dedication, hard work, and the willingness to open our hearts to the wisdom of our elders can open our worlds to magic!” —Ann and Anthony Young, elementary educators for a combined fifty-nine years
“Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies casts one back into so many childhood memories of when kids played outside all day long, romping their stomping grounds, creating new stories every day, and feeling totally immersed in the elements of the living world. The cast of characters include many beings (even the inanimate and the imaginary), all of which emanate massive, charming expressiveness and movement, in beautiful ‘living' color illustrations. This wonderful children's book awakens one’s full senses, and fills one with joy and just maybe a wonder for creative magic.” —Theresa Elliott, violinist and gardener
“Once again, Young enchants us with her engaging stories and enduring characters conjured up from daring childhood memories deep in a magical past.” —Joseph Gentry, Northern Independent, Minnesota Moments
“Dalyce Elliott Young has created a lovely and vibrant children's book. In Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies, it takes hard work in the garden to see the fairies that grow in the ‘sun-filled bellies’ of the morning glories! It’s in the instincts of the flowers that the artistry of nature is born, and in a child’s instinctual, bright mind that the artist is born.” —Jesse Dermody, poet, musician, and sculptor
“Dierdra & the Morning Glory Fairies will delight both children and adults. Dalyce Elliott Young has created a book that dazzles on every page. The story of children planning and creating their own garden draws you into their world; they begin the project with enthusiasm, but as the reality of dealing with weeds and garden pests sets in, some of the sisters and cousins drift away to other things. Not Dierdra—she perseveres and finds delight even in the typical bugs that plague the new plants, noticing the patterns and designs on the backs of the tiniest insects. The illustrations are vibrant, shimmering with color and detail as the garden progresses throughout the summer. Grandma lends her wisdom, helping Dierdra learn how to tend her plants, but she also learns to appreciate the magic within every living thing. I could go on, but I need to go outside now and watch for fairies!” —Laurie Shepherd, author of A Dreamer’s Log Cabin
