The Concrete Garden

Written & illustrated by Bob Graham

Children transform a bleak urban landscape with chalk, sparking hope and creativity.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 289 ratings

32 pages· 444 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

After a long winter, Amanda steps outside with chalk, joining children who turn the pavement into a vibrant garden. Their drawings of flowers and unexpected wonders breathe life into the community, spreading hope and beauty far beyond their urban block. Can their creativity heal the scars of isolation and inspire a global renewal?

From the publisher

A timely, inspiring, and uplifting story about hope and the power of creative expression from one of the world’s most treasured storytellers After a long, cold winter, doors finally open, and children spill out like candies from a box. Amanda is the last one out of the apartment building, with a carton of chalk in her hands. On every inch of the pavement outside, the children draw pictures of flowers and trees, mushrooms and snails, and a few very unexpected things. It’s a concrete garden. Their creativity, unfettered in the open air, brings something beautiful, something hopeful, to the residents there, and to many more across the globe. From master storyteller Bob Graham comes a charming, gentle post-pandemic story about finding optimism after a dark spell, and the nurturing power of community friendships in an urban setting. The Concrete Garden will resonate with anyone who has been apart from their loved ones, and will encourage us all to find the brightness and color within ourselves.

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