Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table

Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table chronicles the true story of former professional basketball player Will Allen, who transformed an abandoned urban lot into a thriving farm. The narrative follows his journey from recognizing food access problems in Milwaukee to establishing Growing Power, an organization focused on sustainable agriculture. Allen's innovative farming methods and dedication to teaching others form the core of this picture book biography. His development of vertical growing systems, composting operations, and aquaponics demonstrates practical solutions for food production in city spaces. Martin's text paired with Eric-Shabazz Larkin's illustrations captures both the scientific and community aspects of urban farming. The book shows how one person's agricultural vision expanded into a movement that impacts food systems and communities. This biography introduces young readers to themes of environmental sustainability, food justice, and the power of individual action to create systemic change. The story presents complex social issues through the lens of hands-on problem solving and community building.

Readers praise this children's book for introducing urban farming and food justice through Will Allen's real-life story. Parents and teachers report that students connect with the illustrations and understand complex concepts like community gardens and sustainable agriculture. Positive points: - Clear explanations of composting and farming techniques - Engaging artwork that shows farming processes - Effective biography for elementary students - Includes detailed back matter and resources Critical feedback: - Some found the text too dense for youngest readers - A few noted the illustrations can appear dark or muddy Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (346 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (65 ratings) One teacher commented: "My first graders requested repeated readings and started a classroom compost bin." A parent wrote: "This book helped my picky eater understand where food comes from." The book appears on several school reading lists and won the 2014 American Horticultural Society's Growing Good Kids Award.

The Garden That We Grew by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan This story follows students who convert an empty lot into a community garden and learn about growing food.

City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan A neighborhood transforms a vacant lot into a garden that brings the community together.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney The tale chronicles a woman who plants lupines throughout her coastal town to make the world more beautiful.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman Multiple characters unite through a community garden in an urban neighborhood, creating connections across cultural differences.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner A child and grandmother work together through the seasons to grow a garden while exploring the life cycles above and below ground.

🌱 Will Allen grew up on a farm in Maryland but initially wanted nothing to do with farming - he became a professional basketball player in Belgium before rediscovering his connection to growing food. 🌱 The urban farm Allen created, Growing Power, transformed three vacant city lots in Milwaukee into a thriving community garden that produced over a million pounds of food annually. 🌱 Author Jacqueline Briggs Martin has written numerous award-winning children's books about food and farming, including "Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious" and "Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix." 🌱 Will Allen pioneered innovative techniques for year-round urban farming, including aquaponics systems that raise both fish and vegetables, and composting with red wiggler worms. 🌱 In 2008, Will Allen received a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship for his groundbreaking work in urban agriculture and food justice, becoming one of the most celebrated figures in the sustainable farming movement.