Books on the Garden: Emma Bland Smith Story Time for The Gardener of Alcatraz

Date: Saturday, April 30th

Time: 10am-12pm

Location: Great Meadow

Best for Children 0-8 years old and their families

This is a free event (minus admission to the Garden for non-SF residents), but please RSVP.

Books will be available for sale, and Emma will be glad to sign them for you or a friend! Please bring blankets or chairs for sitting on the grass. Please be mindful of high chairs blocking others' view.

About The Gardener of Alcatraz A prisoner gardens his way to freedom in this inspiring picture-book biography. When Elliott Michener was locked away in Alcatraz for counterfeiting, he was determined to defy the odds and bust out. But when he got a job tending the prison garden, a funny thing happened. He found new interests and skills--and a sense of dignity and fulfillment. Elliott transformed Alcatraz Island, and the island transformed him. Told with empathy and a storyteller's flair, Elliott's story is funny, touching, and unexpectedly relevant. Back matter about the history of Alcatraz and the US prison system today invites meaningful discussion.

About the Author Emma Bland Smith is the award-winning author of Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West, as well as other fiction and nonfiction books for children. Many of Emma’s books include animals—wolves, dogs, pigs, even alligators! Emma is a librarian and author and lives in San Francisco with her husband, two kids, dog, and cat—but no wolf, pig, or alligator. Visit her online at emmabsmith.com and on Twitter at @emmablandsmith.

About the Illustrator Jenn Ely loves a well-told story. She works on animated projects for film and television and illustrates books, such as If You Were a Kid Building a Pyramid. Jenn believes in trying things that might not work because that's what makes you grow. www.jennely.com @elyjenna

About Books on the Garden Books on the Garden is an event series collaboration between the San Francisco Botanical Garden and Green Apple Books. On the last Saturday of every month, a different literary event will take place at the SFBG with a wide variety of topics, always coinciding with and honoring nature, botanicals, and our beautiful garden setting.