Synopses & Reviews
The idea for The Runaway Garden came to Schatzer when he heard the staggering statistics of runaways in the United States today. With one in seven children running away at some time in their young lives, Schatzer wanted to tell a story that could open discussion in a positive light about what could happen if a child left home. When he sat down to think of who could do the running away and what situations could develop, vegetables came to mind, using their names with homonyms and puns. All the green peas split for town; the tomatoes stewed and stirred. Celery and her friend sweet corn stalked off without a word.
What made the snap beans snap?
How did the berries get into a jam?
What happened to the cauliflowers head?
Read along as Grandpa spins a tale about the night that all the plants in the garden get up and run away. At first they think running away is fun, but it isnt long before things go terribly wrong.
About the Author
Jeffery L. Schatzer is a noted writer and author who has received numerous awards for creativity, including a Silver Medal from the International Film and Television Festival of New York. As a childrens author, his stories offer positive messages and themes. His works feature enchanting storylines that creatively apply grammatical tools and offer a rewarding exploration of word use. For
The Bird in Santas Beard and
The Bump on Santas Noggin, Jeff directed the creative work that brought his Santa Claus to life. He lives in Michigan with his wife Deborah and loves to tend his garden with his grandchildren.
Jeffrey Ebbeler has been creating art for children for almost a decade. He has done a variety of projects, including illustrations for magazines, CD covers, and book covers, as well as paper engineering for pop-up books. He has illustrated two childrens book, Bake You a Pie (Tricycle Press) and Punxsutawney Phyllis (Holiday House). He and his wife both attended the Art Academy of Cincinnati. They currently live in Chicago with their three cats, Annie, Punch, and Judy.