Growing Home by Beth Ferry

with illustrations from the award-winning Terry and Eric Fan.

Oh my heart. I actually had to check my calendar to make sure that I wasn’t being particularly susceptible to this book due to hormones, and that I was in fact laughing and crying solely due to Growing Home’s charm, wit, and deeply understood and portrayed empathy.

Mr and Mrs Tupper live at 3 Ramshorn Drive with their daughter Jillian and a grumpy goldfish named Toasty. Toasty is mostly Mr Tupper’s pet, swimming around in his octagonal antique fishbowl — the Tuppers are antiquarians — and providing a sympathetic ear to his adult human’s musings and woes. Mrs Tupper doesn’t really go in for pets, so it’s a relief to her when Jillian proves to be more into plants than animals. Jillian adores her speckled ivy named, somewhat unimaginatively, Ivy. Toasty is a little miffed that he’s not the favorite, while Ivy basks in her position, as well as in the sunshine and cheer Jillian provides.

Their delicate balance is upset first by the arrival of a spider named Arthur, who’s surprised to find himself moved to Ramshorn Drive from the bookstore where he lived, then by Ollie, another plant rescued by Jillian. As their four distinct personalities rub along, they slowly become aware of their capabilities as a team… and of an unexpected threat that could ruin everything not only for themselves, but for the Tuppers as well. With the help of a little magic, will they be able to learn how to become real friends in order to save the day?

If a book could have a Dungeons & Dragons alignment, this would be the perfect embodiment of chaotic good, as Beth Ferry sweeps the reader along on a madcap yet wonderfully endearing tale of found family, with just the right dusting of magic a la Roald Dahl to make this an immensely satisfying piece of wish fulfilment for advancing (or better) readers. Honestly, this is the perfect chapter book to read aloud to younger kids as well, especially with the Fan brothers’ delightful illustrations that accompany the text impeccably. I spent so much time laughing out loud at some of Ms Ferry’s more hilarious asides, as well as at the sparkling conversations. There was even a football/soccer joke that amused me so much, I had to send it to several different sports chats of mine.

But most of all, I was struck by how well delineated each character was, and by how realistically Ms Ferry meshed their personalities together as they learned to get along. Reader, I cried when they realized that they weren’t just friends but family. Ms Ferry’s wisdom in drawing out their foibles and showing how they learned to acknowledge their own and each other’s flaws on the path to love and acceptance — oof, it was a marvel of character- and community-building. Highly recommended for all libraries, children’s or otherwise.

Growing Home by Beth Ferry was published today May 27 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers and is available from all good booksellers, including