Paul Fleischman

A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers where no one seems to care. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise: To Curtis, who believes he can win back Lateesha's heart with a harvest of tomatoes; to Virgil's dad, who sees a fortune to be made from growing lettuce; and even to Maricela, sixteen and pregnant, wishing she were dead. Thirteen very different voices -- old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted, and hopeful -- tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms a neighborhood. Chosen as a state and citywide read in communities across the country: Vermont Racine, WI Tampa, FL Newburgh, NY Boca Raton, FL

Seedfolks

Wes Michaud

I really liked this book the all the different characters and their story's

i enjoyed it! it was quick and wholesome. i will say though, that you can tell it’s a book from the 90’s because there’s some racism going on here. and i understand that every chapter is from the perspective of the character. it does make sense that the old white woman will say ‘chinese girl’ instead of ‘asian’, or the use of ‘oriental’. but the broken english chapter of the korean character and the use of the word ‘negro’? again. truly a product of it’s time.

Ryan LaFerney

The ancient Egyptians believed nature could heal and it really does. I truly believe in the power of seeds to bring us together and to soothe the soul. 

 Inspired by this idea and community urban gardens (and community theater), Paul Fleischman penned the book Seed folk. . It's about a very diverse neighborhood coming together in the making of a community garden. Which is such a lovely idea. Overall, the intent and the message of the book are positive. And I like the idea that this book could be translated easily into a stage play.

However, some of the characters are a bit one-dimensional and the book is dated in its use of language that today would be regarded as racist. Additionally, I often thought, as I read this, that Paul actually has a very negative view of inner city life. That probably isn't the case. It just reads like the work of a white guy.

I think the intention and the message of Seedfolks is something pure and positive (folks of different backgrounds co-existing and mingling through the growth of a community garden in the inner city) but I found the execution to be dated and a bit questionable.

Destiny J Tamayo

I liked the overall themes of the book. I loved how it talked about building a sense of community through people who couldn't have been more different. My problem was that I couldn't feel for any of the characters since each point of view was so short, it didn't leave much time for development.

Seedfolks

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