Jayden discovers the secret ingredient to trying something new.

Jayden loves the outdoors and the garden he created with his friend Mr. Curtis. But he’s not so sure about sampling some of the garden’s produce. When Mr. Curtis invites neighbors to share the harvest of scarlet runner beans, Jayden faces a dilemma. Will he find the courage to try something new?

Jayden returns for all new adventures in Jayden’s Secret Ingredient. This story, which can be read as a standalone or as a sequel to the award-winning Jayden’s Impossible Garden, emphasizes the importance of friendship, community, and the courage and openness to try new things. Along with Mr. Curtis and Jayden, readers learn the value of outdoor play and contact with nature, from planting a seed to sharing and eating what it produces. This story is a natural starting point for the exploration of nature, ecology, and gardening, as well as for a cooking club.

At the back of the book, a section for adults has additional activities and other information to expand on the story and its ideas.

With twenty stories that center and celebrate the multiracial and multicultural experience from your favorite award-winning and bestselling authors, this is a groundbreaking anthology perfect for fans of COME ON IN and BLACK ENOUGH.

When identities cross boundaries, with love that knows no bounds.
From platonic and romantic love to grief and heartbreak, these stories explore navigating life at the intersection of identities, and what it means to grow up surrounded by a multitude of traditions, languages, cultures, and interpersonal dynamics.
Returning to a father’s homeland. Trying to fit in at chaotic weddings and lavish birthday parties where not all are welcome. Processing grief at family gatherings. Figuring out how to share the news of a new relationship with loved ones. This collection celebrates multicultural and multiracial characters at the helm of their own narratives, as they approach life with a renewed sense of hope and acceptance.

Featuring original stories from:

• Adi Alsaid
• Rebecca Balcárcel
• Akemi Dawn Bowman
• Anika Fajardo
• Shannon Gibney
• I.W. Gregorio
• Veera Hiranandani
• Nasugraq Rainey Hopson
• Emiko Jean
• Erin Entrada Kelly
• Torrey Maldonado
• Mélina Mangal
• Goldy Moldavsky
• Randy Ribay
• Loriel Ryon
• Tara Sim
• Eric Smith
• Jasmine Warga
• Ismée Williams
• Karen Yin

Jayden and a new friend bring nature to the city in this timeless story about a community garden

Amidst all the buildings, people, and traffic in his neighborhood, Jayden sees nature everywhere: the squirrels scrounging, the cardinals calling, and the dandelions growing. But Mama doesn’t believe there’s nature in the city. So Jayden sets out to help Mama see what he sees. With the help of his friend Mr. Curtis, Jayden plants the seeds of a community garden and brings together his neighbors—and Mama—to show them the magic of nature in the middle of the city.

Timeless and vibrant, this story highlights the beauty of intergenerational relationships and the power of imagination and perseverance in bringing the vision of a community garden to life. Jayden’s love of nature will inspire readers to see their environment and surroundings as bursting with opportunities for growth and connection. At the back of the book, readers will find activities to make items found in the book, such as the milk jug bird feeder.

Jayden’s Impossible Garden is the winner of the 2019 African American Voices in Children’s Literature writing contest, cosponsored by Strive Publishing and Free Spirit Publishing, and the recipient of the 2021 Foreword INDIES Honorable Mention, Picture Books, Early Reader (Children’s).