Such a charming read with unusual characters and a dynamic plot. Lots of wise gems slipped into the text.

it was cute.
i'm not the demographic for this book.
but it was adorable.
i loved the cover and illustrations.
it was a cute little distraction.

This is a sweet kids book, I enjoyed the plot and the characters and it was fun to read but I couldn't get a grip on what grade/age this was meant for. The author uses words like "antiquarians" and, let's be honest, most adults unfortunately don't know what that word means so how would a kid be expected to know it? I think many kids would be intrigued by the cover and the description and then give up when they don't know what certain words mean. So maybe keep the story a little simpler next time.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Growing home is an adorable chapter book for young readers.
Beth Ferry uses personification to give life like characteristics to one goldfish,two houseplants, a spider, a bee and a lost canary.
Through an ongoing series of events, the the head count at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive grows; with unexpected visitors of mostly the non-human variety.
Toasty, resident goldfish, is not at all thrilled with what he feels is an invasion of his privacy. All of the extra traffic is a huge nuisance for him. Luckily, his house mates,Ivy and Ollie, provide the positive influnce needed to keep the chaotic events from spiraling out of control.
The storyline provides the unlikely friends with bonding experiences which ultimately saves the family home and teaches a valuable lesson of selflessness and friendship.

Pass the cheese puffs! Growing Home is a delightful story liberally sprinkled with nuggets of wisdom and new words to learn. Any child would be FOURtunate to read this book about friends and family FOURever.

Publication Date: 5/27/25

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This is a funny book. The illustrations really bring the story to life.
I thought the animals were great characters. It's a quirky book, but cute.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you netgalley, author and publisher for this arc. This kids book was super cute and fun read. I would recommend this for ages 8 and up. I enjoyed the humor in this story, the spider using the typewriter reminded me of Charlottes web. I thought it was cute that the two houseplants, fish and spider all worked together.

I am 100% obsessed with this book. Loved it so much and am already recommending it to others. The characters…I fell in love with all of them, non-human and human alike. The illustrations are what you’d expect from the Fan brothers. The humor was unexpected and just delightful. This sweet story manages to pack a punch and will stay with me for a while.

Crusty goldfish Toasty and cheery houseplant Ivy live happily at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive with their family, Mr. and Mrs. Tupper and their daughter Jillian. One day they are surprised by the appearance of Arthur an intelligent spider. Then Jillian brings home friendly Ollie the violet plant. At first they don't quite get along. But when they discover the Tuppers are facing some trouble, Tasty and Ivy, Arthur and Ollie quickly work together to devise a plan to save the family.

One of the interesting things about this story is that the author often speaks directly to the reader, taking time for some teaching moments, whether its explaining vocabulary or pointing out the importance of certain feelings or actions. I think this serves to draw the reader into the story and creates a feeling like they are actually a part of the story.

In the end, this is actually a story about friendship. Each of the characters exhibits a strong personality. From time to time they are joined by other minor characters who are ultimately important in the message the story is trying to get across. As the characters spend more time together, as they learn about each other, they find ways to get along forming a camaraderie. In the end, they learn to appreciate each other and to enjoy each other's differences as they grow their friendship.

An additional point of interest are the hand drawn pictures which help emphasize points that are important to the part of the story on the corresponding page. I enjoyed this story, especially the minor bit of suspense in the ending scenes. I think it is a perfect for a child to read to a parent.

Ivy the plant and Toasty the goldfish spend their days like any other talking plant and fish. Eating cheese puffs, watching soccer, and of course, counting all of Ivy's beautiful speckles. Life is fairly normal for them in the Tupper household, until new friends start popping up. Through twists and turns, and even some burglary, this unlikely crew learns what friendship really means. Author Beth Ferry does an amazing job writing a story that is both fun and educational. Ferry uses diverse vocabulary on every page, and takes away the work by providing clear, but not stuffy definitions. The illustrations are spread out, but fun to look at and something the reader begins to look forward to. This book is perfect for those who are just moving up to chapter books.

Thank you NetGalley, Beth Ferry, and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC of "Growing Home."

"Growing Home" by Beth Ferry is a charming middle-grade novel about an unlikely group of friends who use their magical abilities to protect their family. The story centers around Jillian Tupper, a young girl who lives at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive with her parents, who are antiquarians. Jillian's beloved houseplant, Ivy, is the center of her attention, much to the dismay of Toasty, the family goldfish. Toasty feels neglected, as he believes he should be the most loved pet. Toasty is whiny and narcissistic in the beginning of the story. As the story goes on he learns empathy and what it means to work together with friends.

The story takes a magical turn when Arthur, a wise spider with a broken leg, arrives hidden inside an old typewriter. Jillian then brings home Ollie, a friendly school houseplant who loves to sing. When Toasty, in a fit of frustration, splashes the plants with water from his tank, they discover they have magical powers. They can lift heavy objects and even make things invisible! The writing style is very similar to Lemony Snicket, where the author uses large words then explains the definition through contextual clues.

It turns out Toasty's fish tank is no ordinary tank. It was created by a curious inventor who imbued it with special powers. However, these powers can be dangerous in the wrong hands. A mysterious man with purple shoes is determined to obtain the tank at any cost.

As the story unfolds, Ivy, Toasty, Arthur, and Ollie must learn to work together as friends to protect the Tupper family from the greedy man. They face challenges and learn valuable lessons about friendship, empathy, and the importance of seeing each other's perspectives. The story is full of rich vocabulary, often defined within the text, and features nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways.

The Fan brothers, Eric and Terry, have created beautiful illustrations for the book. Their soft-edged, old-fashioned, black-and-white illustrations depict Toasty and Arthur wearing tiny hats, while Ivy and Ollie have facial expressions on their plant pots. The Tupper family is portrayed with paper-white skin and dark hair. The story emphasizes the importance of friendship, empathy, and understanding different perspectives. #NetGalley #GrowingHome

This book has everything you could want in a children's chapter book. It is innocence and imagination embodied in a book! The story is CUTE and lighthearted, but also a heartwarming story of friendship and teamwork. The cherry on top: I absolutely adore the Fan brothers' art, and it did not disappoint in this instance. Growing Home will always be an immediate recommendation from me!

Growing Home is an all around whimsical and heartwarming read about the magic of friendship. Readers will fall in love with Ivy the houseplant and Toasty the goldfish, while watching them grow through their trials of protecting their new friends and the Tuppers.. The book is packed with plenty of humor and suspense delivered by the wonderful cast of characters as well as the narrator which makes for an engaging read from cover to cover. Ferry does an excellent job of weaving in important life lessons about friendship and compassion without being heavy-handed. The ending might feel abrupt for readers that delight in more explanation, but is ultimately satisfying. A great cozy read with a bit of adventure.

Growing Home by Beth Ferry is a short novel for all ages (but probably aimed at readers just graduating from chapter books to longer, more complex stories) that is filled with heart, and humor. The story takes place mainly in the Tupper's home. The Tupper family consists of Mr. & Mrs. Tupper and their daughter, Jillian. There is also a plant named Ivy and fish named Toasty. Ivy and Toasty spend their days together but it might be a bit of a stretch to say that they're friends, until...Until the day that Mr. Tupper brings home an old desk for their antiques business and Jillian brings home a plant. Arthur, a spider has been transported with the desk and Ollie, a violet plant, was given to Jillian as a gift. Toasty and Ivy are not sure they want any new housemates but strange things continue to happen that day and plants, fish and spider have to learn to work together to save each other and the Tuppers. Each challenge brings the characters new growth and insight, changing them and binding all together as both friends and family. It's a lovely, hopeful story that shows the big impact that can be made by small things in our lives. This would make a great classroom or family read alound. Wonderful, cozy illustrations by the Fan Brothers add to the charm of Growing Home.

Growing Home is a tale full of fun twists and turns. The style of the writing reminds me of Lemony Snicket ("A Series of Unfortunate Events Series) in how the narrator tells the story, as well as in the explanations presented to readers when an idea or word they may not understand is introduced. It is a fun yet almost deadpan tone. The magical elements and hidden connections throughout this story make it so enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the eARC!
This book was beautifully written! I loved the writing style and characters. I have to say, the spider, Arthur, might have been my favorite (and the illustrations of him were so cute)! I loved the theme of friendship and seeing the characters come together. I'm a school based SLP and this is a book I would love to use in speech room!

I am a huge fan of Beth Ferry’s picture books, so I was especially excited to see that she had written a chapter book. I sat down to read my advanced copy one morning and did not move until I had finished it. What a wonderful and well written story it is! I loved all the characters! What I especially loved about the book was not only the storyline, but also how the author imparted humor and wisdom throughout. I absolutely love this book and I cannot wait till it comes out in May. It will definitely be on the shelves of my elementary school library!!