Review Detail

Growing Home is a charming story about a cantankerous fish, two plants, and a spider that possess magic powers through a special fish tank. This book features impressive vocabulary choices that transform this gentle tale into a powerful resource for learning potential. It would make a terrific read-aloud for younger elementary students. The story is not hard to follow and has cute illustrations with a sweet message about found family.
Throughout reading this story, I kept imagining how well it would lend itself to a theater adaptation. These characters are unlikely heroes and have big personalities for ones so small. It would also work well for reluctant readers because of the size, font of text, illustrations, and small chapters (sometimes half a page) make you feel like you are zooming through the book while still being a respectable size for older children.
Overall, this was a cute, quick read featuring an adorably grumpy Toasty the fish and his friends. If you like Oscar the Grouch vibes, this book is a great choice for you.