Mrs. Fleeney’s Flowers

Is the old woman living across the street a witch, a murderess, or just an eccentric neighbor obsessed with flowers? Although Marigold gets the opportunity to discover the truth when she ends up as the neighbor's gardening assistant, she remains consumed with keeping her own secrets, such as the one about her mother's mental illness. This middle grade novel reinforces the idea that sometimes friendships and understanding bloom in unexpected ways and places."REVIEW: "Marigold doesn't want to talk about her mother's mental illness. And why would she? The adults in her life and even some of her friends avoid the topic. This novel reveals the all-too-familiar convoluted path young people often must take in a society that would rather hide the realities of mental illness than discuss them openly. Fortunately for Marigold, understanding and support blossom when the weeds hiding the truth are yanked away." ---Journalist Sue McMillin, "The Denver Post"ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Judith Rypma is the author of the young adult novel, "The Amber Beads" (historical time travel set in 1917 Russia released by Black Opal Books) and "Rocks in My Head: Poetry for Young People About Rocks, Minerals, and Crystals." She has also published nine books of (adult) poetry. After experiencing and observing "way too many" cases of young people forced to deal with the heartache of having a parent who suffers from an emotional illness, she has become a champion of mental health awareness. Most of her career has been devoted to teaching youth literature at Western Michigan University.