The Garden We Share

The Garden We Share is a tender, seasonal story about gardening, friendship, and the memories we grow together.

Written by Zoë Tucker and illustrated by Julianna Swaney, this beautiful picture book follows a young girl and an elderly woman as they plant seeds side by side in a community garden. As the seasons turn, the garden becomes a place of connection—shared work, summer picnics, fragrant lavender, and baskets filled with tomatoes and snap peas.

When autumn arrives and the girl’s dear friend can no longer visit the garden, the harvest is shared in new ways. And though winter brings change and loss, spring returns with fresh growth and renewed hope—reminding us that gardens, like relationships, continue beyond a single season.

Why we love it

• Celebrates intergenerational friendship and community
• Gently explores themes of change, loss, and renewal
• Honors the rhythms of gardening and the seasons
• Warm, expressive illustrations full of life and color

Great for

• Preschool and early elementary readers
• Families and classrooms exploring gardening and community
• Conversations about seasons, memory, and care
• Thoughtful gifts with emotional depth