My Life in Plants

This slender memoir follows the plants that marked significant passages in author Katie Vaz's life. Some of the passages, in particular about her beloved cat, resonated with me strongly. While the audiobook, narrated by Taylor Meskimen, is lovely, Vaz is actually an illustrator and this memoir is illustrated, which makes me crave visuals. I would note that the pairing of audiobooks with print books is very useful for language learning and those with dyslexia. Please note that the audiobook is a brief 1 hr 35 mins in length, making it an excellent teaching tool for ESL learners.

Please note that this is not a children's book.


I received a digital audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not exactly what I was expecting. Part of this could be due to the fact that I only read the title and not the description before reading.it. I was expecting the plants to have a more integral part of the stories told, be a greater focus, perhaps even some anecdotal plant caring information, I was expecting to hear about a lot of house plants. This was not the case, the plants the author uses to tell her stories are really just a way to tie them altogether with the fact that in all these moments plants were involved, present, but they aren't the focal point, more just a tether tying all the stories loosely together. This mis-assumtion aside. I did enjoy the book.

The stories told are mostly about childhood/the early years of adulthood, they are both lighthearted (mostly) and heartwarming anecdotes that many of us can easily relate to, The language Vaz uses is very clear, simple yet evocative painting a clear picture of what she describing without bogging us down. It is a great quick read for someone looking for a book that will make them smile and reminisce about their own experiences growing up.

It made for a great audio book as the stories shared are short and sweet, if I get distracted and stop listening for a minute, no big deal, going back to the beginning of the chapter or waiting for the next to start doesn't take a lot of time. The narrator has a clear agreeable voice that is very easy to listen to and understand. I think this audiobook would make a great read/listen for someone who is working on English as a second ( or more) language. The only drawback to the audiobook is that I did not see the illustrations included and I bet they are beautiful and fun.

Lastly the cover art on this one I just love.