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Five-year-old Clare learns about gardening and much more in this early reader book. Clare starts wondering where the vegetables at the supermarket come from, and her parents explain that they grow just like the vegetables in their neighbor’s garden. Inspired, Clare sets out to grow her own tomato plant. Clare and her family spend time researching plant care at the public library, including how to protect her first precious baby tomato from garden pests. When her tomato, which she has named Greenie, ripens, Clare’s father suggests eating it. It takes a trip to the neighbor’s lush garden, as well as a serious conversation over ice cream, to help Clare understand how harvesting Greenie can help her plant grow stronger as well as nourish her family.
Children interested in plants or gardening will likely appreciate Clare’s story, which gives them the information and resources they need to try growing their own vegetables. However, the text covers more than gardening, combining education with entertainment throughout. For example, the research, planning, and reasoning that Clare and her family do to figure out how best to protect her plant effectively model the research process for young children. When Clare helps set the table for dinner, she even learns a mnemonic shortcut for remembering where to place the dishes and utensils.
The book features big blocks of text on each page, with occasional cheery full-page illustrations. While aimed at elementary readers, the story itself is interesting enough to keep preschoolers’ attention if read aloud. Callout boxes ask discussion questions about what readers think will happen next or already know about a topic. Elements like Clare’s relatable fear of dogs or her love of her stuffed Pooh bear that she turns to in times of worry help keep the story as human as it is educational.