Riz Reyes (text) and Sara Boccaccini Meadows (illustrator), Grow, Walker Books, March 2022, 64 pp., RRP $42.95 (hbk), ISBN 9781419756658
We often think of superheroes as humans with extraordinary abilities and powers, but can we say the same about plants and flowers? Often we overlook just how remarkable and resilient they can be: doing things we never could and saving our lives by simply just existing on this earth.
Grow is a fascinating and enlightening introduction to the science – and art – of tending a garden and giving life to a variety of different plants, from fruits, vegetables, and herbs that you can harvest and eat, to flowers you can grow just because they’re beautiful.
Though the book is non-fiction, Reyes lets a kind of horticultural narrative play out as we journey through its pages. We learn about the different plants in history – when and where they originated and how they were used – as well as the various families that each plant belongs to, describing some of the other related plants in each group. Most importantly of all, we learn how to plant and grow each one – what time of year to plant, how to care for them and how to help them flourish.
Sara Boccacini Meadows has brought each and every page to life with vivid colour, Recalling the spirit of field botanists’ sketches and diagrams, her illustrations are a perfect blend of natural science and artistry.
The book is particularly relevant at a time when more and more families are trying their hand at growing their own food – something many of us did with varying levels of success during the lockdowns we experienced over the last two years.
Grow is described as a children’s guide to plants and how to grow them, and it will absolutely appeal to young readers with an interest in the garden. All the same, I think it has a much broader appeal than just children. I think that readers of any age who want to grow their own plants and flowers but maybe don’t know quite how or where to start would find this book accessible, informative, encouraging, and inspiring.
Reviewed by Christian Price
