Growing Home
Beth Ferry author Terry Fan illustrator Eric Fan illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Simon & Schuster
Publishing:26th Jun '25
£12.99
This title is due to be published on 26th June, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

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?
"Fans of Beth Ferry’s charming picture books will be delighted with her clever new middle grade about the joys of finding true friendship. Featuring an unlikely set of characters, whimsical asides from an irrepressible narrator, and art by the brilliant Fan Brothers, GROWING HOME is an absolute delight!" -- Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The One and Only Ivan
"The story comes together like a recipe: Simple ingredients combine, transform, and rise into something wonderful. In its matter-of-fact wisdom, rich vocabulary (often defined within the text), hint of magic, and empathetic nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways this delightful work is reminiscent of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, Our Friend Hedgehog by Lauren Castillo, and Ivy Lost and Found by Cynthia Lord and Stephanie Graegin. Charming." -- Kirkus Reviews
"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." -- Publishers Weekly
ISBN: 9781665942485
Dimensions: 203mm x 159mm x 8mm
Weight: unknown
272 pages