The true story behind it
My father-in-law once bought a rooster from a farm where it was about to be killed, just so it could live. When my son heard how the rooster was saved, it sparked a real conversation between us, about how every living thing, animal or tree, deserves a chance at life. So I wrote Gordon to help him hold onto that simple idea: that kindness reaches every creature.
What happens in the story
Gordon the rooster has a problem nobody else in the forest has. His garden plants grew legs overnight, and now they wander off while he sleeps. Carrots play tag, tomatoes dance in circles, and a cabbage goes rolling around. Gordon loves them, but he found some of them in the forest yesterday, and he worries they’ll get lost or hurt.
Kitty and Dino do something simple first. They ask. After a little chat with one of the carrots, they find out what the plants really want: a place to play at night, and a way to stay safe.
So Kitty’s wind clears a space next to the garden, and Dino grows a playground of little hills, tunnels and slides. Gordon still worries they might wander, so Kitty adds a sparkling stream around both gardens to keep them safe. That night the plants race and play hide-and-seek, and Gordon’s garden is happy at last.
Looking for a children’s book about roosters?
Rooster books are usually about waking everyone up. Gordon is a tired rooster with bright red feathers, a golden comb and a garden that won’t stay put.
Little kids find dancing vegetables very funny, which helps the quieter idea land. The friends don’t scold the plants or lock them in. They ask what the plants need, and then find a way to keep them safe and happy at the same time.
Look inside
Flip through the opening pages of the book.
Questions to ask after reading
A few questions for the minute after the book closes. There are no wrong answers.
- Why do you think Gordon’s plants kept wandering off at night?
- How did Kitty and Dino find out what the plants wanted?
- If your toys came alive at night, what would they want to play?
Perfect for
- ✓ Kids who giggle at silly, dancing vegetables
- ✓ Gentle, tender-hearted little ones
- ✓ Talking about caring for living things
- ✓ A calm, kind bedtime read
Quick answers
Teach a little kindness toward every living thing
One short story. One rooster and his wandering garden. Ready for tonight.
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