The Night Gardener

by Jonathan Auxier (Author)

The Night Gardener
Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

A New York Times bestseller, The Night Gardener is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it's also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.

The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier's exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.

"Lots of creepiness, memorable characters, a worthy message, Auxier's atmospheric drawings and touches of humor amid the horror make this cautionary tale one readers will not soon forget." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Auxier achieves an ideal mix of adventure and horror, offering all of it in elegant, atmospheric language that forces the reader to slow down a bit and revel in both the high-quality plot and the storytelling itself." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"All proper scary stories require a spooky, menacing atmosphere, and Auxier (Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes) delivers the goods with his precise descriptions of the gothic setting and teasing hints of mystery and suspense." --The Horn Book Magazine

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School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 4-6--Storytelling and the secret desires of the heart wind together in this atmospheric novel that doubles as a ghost tale. Irish immigrants to England, Molly and Kip make their way to the Windsor house in search of employment. The great house stands in the shadow of a menacing tree, which locals speak of only in fearful whispers. Despite her young age and the warnings of a local storyteller, Molly uses the power of her own words to secure work, but soon realizes that all is not right in the house. Constance, Bertrand, Penny, and Alistair Windsor each struggle with personal demons, and strange footprints appear at night. A malevolent spirit, the Night Gardener, haunts the estate, dooming its inhabitants with foul dreams while the tree grants wishes to entrap the recipients. Molly and Kip must face their own dark secrets to release the Gardener's hold and end his evil enchantments. Auxier gives readers a spooky story with depth and dimension. Molly's whimsical tales illustrate life's essential lessons even as they entertain. As the characters face the unhealthy pull of the tree's allurements, they grow and change, revealing unexpected personality traits. Storytelling as a force to cope with life's challenges is subtly expressed and adds complexity to the fast-paced plot. Readers of Mary Downing Hahn or Peg Kehret's ghost novels will connect with the supernatural elements and the independent child protagonists of Auxier's tale of things that go bump in the night.--Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Jonathan Auxier
Jonathan Auxier is the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, The Night Gardener, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, and Sweep. He lives with his family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Olga Demidova has illustrated many books for children around the world, including A Friendship Yarn and Petal the Angry Cow. She studied at the Moscow Art Institute of Applied Art
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781419715310
Lexile Measure
690
Guided Reading Level
X
Publisher
Amulet Books
Publication date
May 05, 2015
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV016040 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | Europe
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV018000 - Juvenile Fiction | Horror
Library of Congress categories
-
Bluebonnet Awards
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Beehive Awards
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Nene Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Black-Eyed Susan Award
Nominee 2015 - 2016
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens
Recommended 2015 - 2015
Charlotte Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Rhode Island Teen Book Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Rhode Island Children's Book Awards
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Colorado Children's Book Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016
North Carolina Children's Book Award
Nominee 2016 - 2016

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