  | All that grows Author: Wong, Jack | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
On their neighborhood walks together, a boy learns from his older sister all about the plants they see -- magnolias that smell like lemon cake, creeping weeds that used to be planted for decoration, and even how dandelion greens can be eaten with spaghetti!
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (02/15/24)
School Library Journal (+) (00/03/24)
The Hornbook (00/03/24)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 03/01/2024 PreS-Gr 2—Dreamy, earth-toned pastel drawings and quiet, spare text are used to great effect in this lovely book about a boy's curiosity and wonder about the natural world. A boy and his older sister, both with brown skin, are shown walking around their neighborhood smelling magnolia blossoms, admiring a quince tree, and gathering a bunch of daffodils. Then it's off to her garden to weed out the crabgrass and clover, while leaving the fledgling vegetable sprouts to continue growing. Through it all, the boy wonders why some plants are vegetables, some flowers, and others weeds, and how his sister knows so much. (When they encounter an unknown plant, the sister offers to look it up in one of her books—a novelty in this digital age!) The pictures are almost cinematic, as the point of view changes from page to page: the characters are shown from above, below, up-close, far away, and as shadowy outlines in one spread, perhaps reflecting the boy's journey from wonder to experience. A delightful addition to any library's collection, perfect for those with an interest in plants and gardening. VERDICT A thought-provoking book about the joys of the natural world, with a sprinkling of kid-friendly philosophy; this gentle book could be slipped into the gardening shelves or left out for browsers as curious as the main characters.—Sue Morgan - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
