Books published by publisher Tomato Enterprises

In the winter of 1846, the Donner Party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The pioneers endured bitter hardships and many of them died. But some survived, including eight-year-old Patty Reed, a girl filled with dignity and determination in the face of mortal danger. This is her story, as told by Dolly, the wooden doll she kept hidden in her dress.

In 1853, San Francisco newsboy Ready Gates lives up to his nickname. He's ready for anything--whether it's shouting the latest headlines from a street corner, sneaking onto a river boat to avoid paying the fare, or tracking down a missing gold miner. But when he crosses the bay to watch a balloon ascension, his adventures suddenly take an unexpected turn. Based on a true story, this book paints a colorful picture of daily life in San Francisco five years after the discovery of gold in California. It's drawn from newspapers, letters, diaries and many other historical documents.

In 1858, twelve-year-old Sallie Fox and her family leave Iowa in a wagon train, dreaming of California. They follow the Santa Fe Trail to New Mexico, and then head due west across the bleak desert. Suddenly, Indians attack the pioneers, driving off their cattle and oxen. One hundred people--many sick and injured--are now stranded in the searing summer heat, five hundred miles from anyone who can help them! Yet, through grit, determination and luck, Sallie and the others survive to reach California, though not without paying a heavy price. This lightly fictionalized account of a true story is drawn from diaries, memoirs, letters and many other historical sources. It tells the heartwarming story of a plucky pioneer girl who learns that through courage and the love of her family, she can overcome any adversity.

Gregory Cornelius Jones, Jr., known as Junebug to his family, just moved to Johnsonville, Mississippi, from Chicago. Among his new friends is Miss Marguerite Gautier, who makes Junebug the best treats - teacakes, beignets, custards - in exchange for his assistance in her gumbo garden. As the crop grows, so does the mystery surrounding Miss Gautier. Junebug's friends warn him, but he only discovers the truth when it is too late. Junebug and Miss Gautier's Gumbo Garden calls up the language and foodways of Louisiana. The gullible Junebug, led by his appetite for Miss Gautier's goodies, can't bring himself to believe that the woman who reminds him so much of his Grandma Pearl, who he left behind in Chicago, could be up to no good.

A Garden’s Search for Water takes children to a beautiful garden where a dynamic group of vegetables lives with their engaging leader, Archie Artichoke. In this adventure, Archie and his friends hike to a distant garden, where the vegetables there have lost their source of water and many have become ill. During their search for answers, the veggies find a spirited group of forest animals has caused the water to stop flowing. Now it’s up to Archie to convince them to change their ways. Besides being fun to read, A Garden’s Search for Water is designed to teach children about:Accomplishing a difficult task and solving problems;Working with others to achieve a common goal;The importance of water for life;Caring, helping others, friendship; andThe names of many important vegetables!This children’s story introduces the topic that “everyone deserves the right to have water.” It is an important discussion as it relates to the health of children throughout the world. A Garden’s Search for Water is the second illustrated book in the Adventures of Archie Artichoke series of stories written about a remarkable garden of vegetables. Because the book is relatively long for a young children’s story, it is formatted as a chapter book and is designed to be read over several days/nights. The age group for the Adventures of Archie Artichoke series is between three and nine years old. The narrative is designed to be read to a child, but third grade children will delight in reading the books on their own.More information about the Archie Artichoke series, as well as audio of Archie’s songs, can be found on www.ArchieArtichoke.com. Illustrations of the vegetable characters, suitable for coloring, can be downloaded from the website.Summary - Archie and his friends have a problem to solve. What is making the vegetables sick? With care, compassion, and a magic power, they hike through the forest, sing songs at campfires, and don’t give up until their goal of a healthy garden is reached. A colorfully illustrated chapter book that shares profits and donates to help children’s hospitals.

While on a family camping trip, Mackey and her Tomgirlz friends are disappointed when they discover the activity center is closed. Never held down for long, the girls decide to plan their own activities and create the first ever Tomgirlz Games complete with a scary monster ball tournament and a toasted marshmallow eating contest. The Tomgirlz meet Abbey on this vacation. Abbey is talented and beautiful, but is often bullied because of her weight. Through a week of fun adventure, crazy games, and typical Tomgirlz mishaps, the girls take an honest look at bullies, their victims, the bystanders, and the role each one can take to put an end to bullying. With the spirit of the Tomgirlz, Abbey's life is about to take a turn.

It's a Wonderful Life in the Garden takes children to a beautiful garden where a dynamic group of vegetables lives with their engaging leader, Archie Artichoke. In this adventure, Archie and his friends find an old glass bottle containing a treasure map and an odd rhyme about a magical genie that lives deep in the forest. But the rhyme also warns that the genie is protected by a menacing forest troll. The veggies must outsmart the troll if they are to receive the wishes they desire. In this story, the vegetables learn an important lesson - you must be careful of what you wish for; you just might get it! Besides being fun to read, It's a Wonderful Life in the Garden is designed to teach children about:Making good decisions and solving problems;Working with others to achieve a common goal;Being happy and content with your life; Caring, helping others, friendship; andThe names of many important vegetables! The book contains many beautiful illustrations to enhanceits narrative. It's a Wonderful Life in the Garden is the third illustrated book in the Adventures of Archie Artichoke series of stories written about a remarkable garden of vegetables. Because the book is relatively long for a young children's story, it is formatted as a chapter book and divided into an introduction and five chapters that are designed to be read over several days/nights. The age group for the Adventures of Archie Artichoke series is between three and nine years old. The narrative is designed to be read to a child, but third grade children will delight in reading the books on their own. More information about the Archie Artichoke series, as well as audio of Archie's songs, can be found on ArchieArtichoke.com. Illustrations of the vegetable characters, suitable for coloring, can be downloaded from the website. Summary - When Archie and his veggie friends find a treasure map, they hike into the forest, find a magic lamp, and outsmart a troll using super powers given by a gnome. The vegetables learn valuable lessons when a genie grants them wishes that cause problems for them to solve. This colorfully illustrated chapter book donates profits to children's hospitals.