Noah's Garden: When Someone You Love Is in the Hospital

by Mo Johnson, Annabelle Josse (Illustrator)

A hospital courtyard garden — and a vivid imagination — are a haven for a young boy as he waits for his baby sister to be well enough to join him.

Noah and his family are living in The Children’s Hospital because his new sister, Jessica, was born with a serious medical condition. Normal family life is suspended indefinitely for Noah, but in the true spirit of childhood, he spends his days in the hospital garden, creating an imaginary world, longing for the day when Jess can join him.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2010

About the author

Mo (Maureen) Johnson was born in Glasgow, Scotland. She met her Australian husband while teaching in Japan and moved to Sydney with him in 1991. She is lucky to live by the beach in spectacular Illawarra (NSW) with her husband, Pete, and son, Paddy, and their two dogs, Merlin and Scruffy. She couldn’t live without her Apple computers, her iPod, her crime-fiction collection, and her friendship with fellow authors Di Bates, Sandy Fussell, and Bill Condon, who give her great advice about her writing.

Mo loves staying in touch with her best friend, Auds, in Scotland, making short films, taking photographs, elephants, and people who throw back their heads to belly laugh, especially at themselves. Her phobias are flying, swimming pools, cockroaches, and people dressed in animal costumes. When she doodles, Mo draws snails and triangles and people on bicycles.

Reviews

[Gail Barge]

The inspiration of this main character of this story will be the inspiration for students own creative play. This little boy creates such fantasy lands in his own backyard that are so vivid. This would be a good book to give to a student who has a family member in the hospital. It would bring comfort and hope to a family struggling with illness.

[Christine Meunier]

A beautifully illustrated book full of imagination. A lovely story of a boy's excitement over having a younger sister.

[Abbi DeRenzy]

Based on a true story of a family in Melbourne Australia, this book highlights a family's struggle, a brother's love, and the importance of having a place to go when you need it most. While no family wants to be at the hospital waiting for their child to get better, having somewhere like a garden to go to help you feel a sense of peace can make the stay a little better.

This story may be helpful for children or students who have a loved one in the hospital.

[Yashvi]

I like this book.

[Robin]

The story is a bit cryptic but the illustrations are nice.