Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Plant-loving loner finds pals in fun friendship tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
PRUNELLA is born with a purple thumb, and her master gardener parents aren't sure what that means. But when she shows an interest exclusively in plants that smell bad, have thorns, and eat bugs, it starts to make more sense. Unfortunately, no other kids will come close to Prunella's garden that she loves so much. Young Prunella is pretty isolated until a small neighbor boy with a passion for botany shows an interest in her unusual garden.
Is It Any Good?
This lighthearted tale of an isolated outsider shows the transformative power of friendship built on shared interests. Prunella portrays someone who's into things many people find weird or creepy, but who learns the joy of finding her tribe of kids as fascinated by them as she is. Readers will learn the names of lots of unusual plants, whose characteristics are described in sections at the front and back of the book. Claire Keane's lively, colorful cartoon-like illustrations highlight the plants' off-putting characteristics and the shocked and thrilled facial expressions of the neighbor kids who are learning about them.
Author Beth Ferry strikes a nice balance between a slew of botanical terms and facts and a relatable emotional story. She deftly uses botanical metaphors, like when noting that her parents "had given her strong roots and knew she would blossom as soon as she was ready" or that Oliver reminded Prunella "of a weed, popping up exactly where she didn't want him." Ferry's descriptions of Prunella are nuanced and add dimension to her character, as when she writes that "the best word to describe Prunella was -- 'prickly'! You might be prickly too if your best friend was a cactus."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the unusual plants in Prunella. Had you heard of any of them before? Which ones would you like to know more about?
How do Prunella and the neighbor kids show curiosity about the strange plants in Prunella's garden? What kind of plants do you like -- pretty flowers or prickly, smelly plants and ones that eat bugs?
Is it easier to make friends with people who like the same things you like? Or is it fun to get to know kids who are interested in totally different things than you are?
Book Details
- Author: Beth Ferry
- Illustrator: Claire Keane
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: STEM , Brothers and Sisters , Bugs , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Communication , Curiosity , Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication date: July 16, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: July 24, 2024
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