Tony Hillery on Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

In this post, we feature debut author Tony Hillery, founder of the community organization Harlem Grown, which grows fruits and vegetables in New York City. You can hear him speak about his first picture book, Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood, which describes the programs he’s built with kids and their families, and try his fun “invitation to imagine” activity. You’ll also find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

• Written by Tony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland
• Published by Paula Wiseman Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster
• Release date: August 18, 2020

Harlem Grown tells the inspiring true story of how one man made a big difference in a neighborhood. After volunteering at an underfunded school and noticing the students’ lack of healthy food options, Tony Hillery invited the kids to turn a vacant lot into a beautiful and functional farm. Five years later, the kids and their parents, with the support of the Harlem Grown staff, grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables a year. Written with input from the students, Harlem Grown tells a true story of changing a community from the ground up.

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Explore Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

Listen to Tony Hillery talking with TeachingBooks about creating Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.

• Listen to Tony Hillery talk about his name.
• Explore TeachingBooks’ collection of activities and resources for Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood.

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Invitation to Imagine

Imagination Activity with Tony Hillery

Wherever you are when you look out of the window, what do you see? Look at the ground: is there sunlight on it? Any dirt? This is a future home to food. Plant a seed, water it, and watch it grow.

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Finish This Sentence . . . with Tony Hillery

“I hope my book encourages kids to…”

I hope Harlem Grown inspires kids to see their food differently. There’s a power in growing your own food, and it tastes better: just ask any kid who has planted it!

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More Connections to Tony Hillery and Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood.

• Discover books like Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood on TeachingBooks.
• Simon & Schuster’s page on Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood, writtten by Tony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland.
• Preorder Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood writtten by Tony Hillery and illustrated by Jessie Hartland.
• Tony Hillery and Harlem Grown on Twitter.

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Explore all of the titles featured in the TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour: one link with author interviews, lesson plans, activities, and more!

Text and images are courtesy of Tony Hillery, Jessie Hartland, and Simon & Schuster and may not be used without expressed written consent.