Josias, Hold the Book

This Américas Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature winner about a Haitian boy determined to make his garden grow is brought to life through luminous watercolor illustrations.

Every morning Josias is hard at work in the family's garden under the hot Haitian sun. And every morning he sees his friend Chrislove walk to school. "When will you join us to hold the book?" asks Chrislove.

But Josias has a garden to tend and no time to learn to read and write, especially now that the garden is failing.

Josias can't figure out why the beans aren't growing.

Without beans, there may not be enough food for his family.

He tries giving the beans more water. He tries working more fertilizer into the soil. Still, the garden shows no sign of life. One morning, when Chrislove asks again when his friend plans to come to school, Josias wonders if a book might hold the solution to his problem.