The Garden of Broken Things invites the reader on a journey with Sadie; a journey of discovery, life, loss, the past, history. A journey sparked by insatiable curiosity, freedom and the innocence of a young girl, open minded and with a keen desire to connect and share without fear and judgement. This journey is evocatively told in both the narrative and detailed illustrations.
This sophisticated picture book begins with the vignettes on the imprint and title pages, they reveal clues about the mysterious woman Sadie meets and her past. The reader is then taken to the setting, 9 Ardent Street, described as “a lonely place with windows like sad eyes”. It is here that a garden appears overgrown, unkept and overshadows a dilapidated house. It is a house feared by older children. However, a ginger cat perched on the front broken gate strikes a lone figure and piques Sadie’s interest. This cat is like a magnet and draws Sadie over to the house. Sadie follows the cat as it leads her through the undergrowth shrouded in mystery.
A treasure trove of days gone by are discovered, items that are part of the homes past are revealed – a tree that has grown through the back rest of chair, a shed, a clothesline and a rusty car. All of these items have a story. Sadie marches on, following the cat, past all of the dilapidated possessions to what appears to be a statue of a weary woman sitting on a bench.
Sadie approaches the woman without trepidation and immediately tells her about her school day, her family and reads to her. She tenderly brushes cobwebs from the woman’s face.
Sadie, in this unfamiliar place with a reputation for being feared and in the company of a mysterious woman, feels at ease to chat and eventually drifts off to sleep. While Sadie sleeps, something stirs deeply in the woman, awakening her. The woman’s colour changes against the backdrop of darkness.
Sadie’s visit is transformative as 9 Ardent Street becomes one of joy, life and treasures to explore and engage with.
This is a book that encourages active meaning making and is open to different interpretations as readers decode the text and illustrations. This picture books allows for children to deal with ambiguity about the woman as they pause, ponder and fill in the gaps themselves.