First Things First
I need to tell you this – each and every time I read it for the purpose of reviewing this book, I truly enjoyed it. Yes, I must have read this book at least four or five times, and I think – no, I know – that I will be reading this again as well, and will just have to add it to my physical library. Simply said, this book is amazing! It packs so much information in an amazingly accessible and fun format.

My Thoughts
The book takes the reader on a journey across the world, and through the ages, as Richardson presents informative overviews of 10 important plants that had a major impact on our world.

Every chapter – one for each plant – follows the same format. A drawing of the plant starts off the chapter along with fact boxes featuring data points about the plant (origins, pros and cons, growing habits, uses, and so on).



This is followed by an (fictional) anecdote around the plant and its impact on their life. For example, a little narrative involving someone named Will at the Boston Tea Party, or Kailyn visiting a chocolate factory just like her favorite character, Charlie from Roald Dahl’s book. And last but not the least, a detailed exploration of the plant: its history, uses, and so many more amazing facts.

I liked that the book includes the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of the story of each plant, while keeping it appropriate for the intended audience. It mentions child labor and slaves, wars and the havoc created over the growing and trade of many(almost all) of these plants. And on the other side, of course, it also includes the positive impacts these plants have had on history and civilization, and our everyday lives.

While the illustrations are “caricaturish” and seem different, they are well-suited for the narrative of the book.

This book can easily inspire readers to learn more about the plants, as well as about other everyday objects. Because if these familiar (except for one) plants have such a fascinating story, then what about other things that we are familiar with?!

In Summary
A really fascinating book with wonderful facts about the featured plants and a great read for all ages.

<a href="https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/">Check my blog - LadyInReadWrites - for more reviews</a>
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC of the book; these are my honest opinions after reading the book.

Perfect for an elementary library looking for books to explain why exploration was important and how plants have helped civilizations move forward.