Grow! A children's guide to plants and how to grow them by Riz Reyes and Sara Boccaccini Meadows

Grow: A Children’s Guide to Plants and How to Grow Them has a striking cover that will immediately catch the eye of the reader. With the cover showcasing vibrant and colourful plants and insects, as well as embossed floral vertical letters spelling out the word ‘grow’, this book will appeal to all budding horticulturalists and gardeners. It is written by Riz Reyes, a horticulturalist, speaker and educator who grew up in the Philippines on a fruit plantation and eventually moved to the United States with his family. He studied horticulture at the University of Washington and is passionate about sharing his love of growing plants with others.

The book begins with a heartfelt introduction from the author which is followed by the contents page which has fifteen four-page chapters beginning with the mint and ending with orchids. Other plants studied are lettuce, mushrooms, daffodils, tomatoes, apples, kale, carrots, aloe vera, tea plants, maple, bamboo and pumpkins. Each plant has their hero status explained as an introduction.  For example, mint is the hero of aroma and remedy, and apples are the heroes of heritage and history. Following on from this is general information about the plant set out clearly, surrounded by white space, and beautifully detailed labelled illustrations painted in watercolour. Important facts are contained in separate text boxes. Each chapter also contains information about family members, how to grow your own, as well as a potted history. On the final page is a glossary and plant classification table.

This book has a place in all libraries and would make a perfect gift for a young gardening enthusiast.

Themes: Plants, Gardening, Horticulture, History.

Kathryn Beilby