Fall is great for planting, but winter is a time for planning. A garden that is. And a little magic doesn't hurt.

What makes a great kids gardening book? A colorful plot, colorful language, colorful illustrations---and some magic.

The Upside-Down Gardener has it all. A determined city girl knows nothing about gardening. In fact, she avoids it at all costs--until her mom strongly suggests she do it while waiting for baseball season. Dreaming of color and needing something to keep herself entertained, she gives it a go. Impatient for results, Dory tries waking up her garden with a pot of coffee, alarm clock and whistle. When the little seeds don't respond, she's ready to give up. And that's where the magic begins.

Strange-looking sticks are growing out of the ground. Hmm, it looks like roots, but roots are supposed to grow down, not up---right? Usually, but not in The Upside-Down Gardener. Flowers are found in the most unlikely places, including growing down the walls of the corner subway station. When Dory and mom return to their garden and dig around a root, they're amazed with colorful flowers blooming underground!

How did this happen? Why? Or did it? Find out in The Upside-Down Gardener, winner of a gold Mom's Choice Award and Women in Juvenile Fiction. Beautifully illustrated by The New Yorker magazine illustrator Pat Achilles. Where to find signed copies? More places than ever this season:  Froehlich's Farm & Garden Station in Furlong PA; Bountiful Acres in Buckingham PA; on the author's website: www.wellbredbook.net.

Happy planning. Happy Gardening. Happy Holidays!