Growing Home
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
An instant New York Times bestseller!
“A meditative, charming delight.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
An unlikely team of talkative plants, a curious spider, and a grumpy goldfish use their newfound magical abilities to defend their family from a greedy human in this charming middle grade novel from New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry, with illustrations from the award-winning Fan brothers.
Ivy is the beloved houseplant of young Jillian Tupper of Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, much to the constant dismay of Toasty the goldfish, who is technically the family pet—swimming in his special place of honor, the antique octagonal fish tank—and should be the most loved. It seems that’s how the cookie (or cheese puffs, in Toasty’s case) crumbles in the curious Tupper household, but soon a sequence of thrilling and magical events challenges that way of life forever.
First, there’s the arrival of Arthur, a knowledgeable spider with a broken leg and a curious mind, hidden in an old typewriter. Then Jillian throws everyone for a loop when she brings home dear, sweet Ollie, a school houseplant who just wants to be friends and sing. When Toasty splashes the plants with his tank water out of frustration, the friends learn that they can do magical things—like lift heavy objects and turn things invisible!
It turns out Toasty’s fishtank isn’t just for fish; it was made by a curious inventor who gave it special powers that, in the wrong hands, could disrupt everything forever. And a curious man with purple shoes just so happens to want that tank at any cost. Can Ivy, Toasty, Arthur, and Ollie grow to be friends in time to work together to save their beloved Tupper family from utter ruin?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Though cantankerous goldfish Toasty is the only pet at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, he's not the favorite inhabitant of aspiring young botanist Jillian Tupper; that designation belongs to a bubbly, self-centered plant called Ivy. From his antique octagonal tank in the foyer, Toasty bickers amiably with Ivy, occasionally splashing her to emphasize his points, and enjoys cheese puffs pilfered by the flora. The arrival of two new creatures—inquisitive spider Arthur and a shy violet plant named Ollie—upends the pair's comfortable routine and leads to the discovery that Toasty's fish tank is magical. With a carefully targeted splash, the plants are imbued with special powers: Ivy can lift heavy objects and Ollie becomes invisible, abilities that prove useful with the third-act arrival of a devious antique collector bent on obtaining the fish tank. Chatty asides from Ferry (The Peddler of Puddles) provide context and vocabulary lessons as a buoyant, omniscient narrator skillfully conveys the foursome's idiosyncrasies, particularly Toasty's sense of isolation and accompanying crankiness. Neat spot illustrations by the Fan brothers (Barnaby Unboxed!), rendered in their signature style, convey humorous details such as both Toasty and Arthur sporting fetching bowler-style hats. Ages 6–9. Author's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Heirloom Literary. Illustrators' agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency.
