The Blue Roses

On the day Rosalie is born, Papa, her grandfather, plants a red rosebush under her bedroom window. As Rosalie grows, Papa teaches her to love gardening, and on her ninth birthday, he gives Rosalie her own garden plot. When some of Rosalie's plants die, Papa tells her to dig them back into the soil so the other plants will grow strong. "That's what I like about gardens," Papa says. "Nothing ever really leaves." After Papa dies, Rosalie misses him greatly. One night she dreams of a garden with a trellis of beautiful blue roses, and the vision of that dream shows Rosalie a way to keep Papa in her heart forever. With gentle words and magical images, this contemporary Native American story tenderly embraces the natural cycle of life. Winner of Lee & Low's first New Voices Award, The Blue Roses is a touching story that resonates with all who read it.