by Elizabeth Wellsillustrated by Dana Regan

Luz and theGarden

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

1032365

2.2.7

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: J

DRA: 18

Genre:Realistic Fiction

Strategy:Analyze/Evaluate

Skill:Conclusions

Word Count: 446

and theand theLuzLuz

GardenGarden

Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of Houghton Mifflin Company unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries to School Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116.

Printed in China

ISBN-13: 978-0-547-02457-8ISBN-10: 0-547-02457-6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 SDP 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08

by Elizabeth Wellsillustrated by Dana Regan

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2

Luz and her mom moved to a new building. Before they went inside, Luz looked around. In front of the building was a sidewalk. On the left was another building made of plain brick. On the right was a store.

Store

Sidewalk

Building

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3

Luz walked around the building to look at the back. There was nothing there except a parking lot for cars. Luz looked sad.

At her old house, there was a garden. Every summer it was blooming with flowers. The flowers had such a sweet scent! But here, there was no space for a garden.

Car

Parking lot

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4

The next day, Luz and her mom went for a walk. They walked towards two women. The women had shovels!

“Do you have a garden?” asked Luz.The women nodded. One woman said,

“Yes. It is a garden that the people who live around here all share.”

Shovel

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5

The other gardeners let Luz and her mom share the garden. Luz loved meeting so many friendly people. She and her mom got their own garden plot. They could plant whatever they wanted in it.

Plot

Rake

Garden

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6

Luz and her mom worked in the garden every day. First they used their shovels to dig the soil. Their muscles hurt! After that, they planted vegetable seeds.

The gardeners did not just share the garden. They shared everything.

One day Mrs. Katz said, “Luz, here are some pepper seeds.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Katz,” said Luz. “Here are some lettuce seeds!”

Seeds

Gloves

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7

The gardeners worked all summer. They watered the plants. They used special plant food to help the plants grow big. They cut off tough stems from the plants. And they pulled up weeds.

Watering can

Plant food

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8

Luz and her mom loved seeing their new friends at the garden. People worked hard, but they shared stories and jokes, too. Soon the garden was full of green leaves and colorful vegetables.

Tomatoes

Lettuce

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9

In the fall, Mr. Simpson told Luz and her mom about a dinner for all the gardeners. He said, “Everyone will make food from something they grew in the garden. I hope you will come!”

“Great!” said Mom. “We will both be there.”

PumpkinsSquash

Carrots

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10

Luz and her mom made a pizza with vegetables from their garden. There were red tomatoes, green peppers, and wrinkled onions.

At the dinner, the table was full of food. The gardeners sat down to eat and talk. It was a lot of fun!

Luz smiled at her mom. “I can’t wait to plant a garden next year!”

Pizza

Salad

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11

RespondingTARGET SKILL Conclusions How do you

think Luz feels at the end of the story?

Copy the chart below. Write details from

the story that show how Luz feels at

the end.

Text to Self Luz and her mom share a

garden with other people. Write a few

sentences as a summary of what it means

to share a garden. Tell if you would like

to join a garden like that. Include details

from the story that show why you would

or would not like to share a garden.

Write About It

Detail:Luz has a garden.

Conclusion: Luz feels ?

Detail: Detail:? ?

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12

bloomingmusclesnoddedplain

scentshovelstoughwrinkled

TARGET VOCABULARY

TARGET SKILL Conclusions Use details to figure out more about the text.

TARGET STRATEGY Analyze/Evaluate Tell how you feel about the text, and why.

GENRE Realistic fiction is a story that could happen in real life.

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by Elizabeth Wellsillustrated by Dana Regan

Luz and theGarden

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

1032365

2.2.7

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Online Leveled Books

Level: J

DRA: 18

Genre:Realistic Fiction

Strategy:Analyze/Evaluate

Skill:Conclusions

Word Count: 446