Jennie Butchart: Gardener of Dreams sheds light on a significant figure in Canada’s history for young audiences. Jennie Butchart’s story strongly supports the Career Education curriculum for grades 2 to 5 as it demonstrates learning as a lifelong enterprise. This story also models how new experiences expand our career skill set and options as it describes Butchart’s shift from being a chemist at a cement plant to immersing herself in learning about plants and botany as she pursues her dream of growing a beautiful garden.

The lasting legacy of Butchart’s garden is a testament to designs and ideas growing out of natural curiosity and how new skills can develop through practice, effort, and action to support the big ideas in Applied Design, Science, and Technology education. Learning about the stories of outstanding women such as Jennie Butchart also reminds readers that everyone has a unique story to share, which helps us build connections to ourselves and others in our communities.

Other End Matter: Historical timeline
Images: Colour illustrations
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Evaluator: Shannon S., School Librarian, BC Books for Schools

Haley Healey is a high school counsellor, registered clinical counsellor, and the bestselling author of On Their Own Terms: True Stories of Trailblazing Women of Vancouver Island, Flourishing and Free: More Stories of Trailblazing Women of Vancouver Island, and Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and the Yukon. A self-proclaimed trailblazing woman herself, she has taught in isolated fly-in communities, guided whitewater canoe expeditions, and plays the violin. She has an avid interest in wild places and unconventional people.

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Kimiko Fraser is an illustrator and historian-in-training. She grew up constantly making—drawing, painting, knitting, sculpting, bookbinding, etc.—and has never learned how to stop. She is the illustrator of Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and the Yukon. She holds a bachelor of arts (honours History, major Visual Arts) from the University of Victoria. She works with many mediums to create her illustrations, including watercolour, digital, ink, and tea. Most of her work is inspired by her interest in plants, history, and folktales.

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