The Ugly Vegetables

by
Grace Lin

When a little girl and her mother dig, plant, and water their garden, the little girl notices that they garden differently than their neighbors.  The young gardener and her mother use shovels and a hose to water their seeds, whereas the neighbors use small hand shovels and watering cans. By the time everyone’s plants start to grow, the little girl notices that her garden grows differently than her neighbors. Her garden looks like grass and the neighbor’s garden looks like leaves. The young gardener’s mother tells her it’s because they have planted vegetables and the neighbors have planted flowers. Then one day, the flowers start to bloom and the little girl thinks the flowers look so beautiful compared to her garden vegetables-- that look ugly. But, when it’s time to harvest the vegetables, the little girl’s mother makes a yummy ugly vegetable soup! Neighbors smell the soup and come to the little girl’s home to share flowers in exchange for some ugly vegetable soup. The little girl learns that regardless of appearances, everything has its own beauty and purpose.

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