The Plant Rescuer

by Matthew Rivera (Author)

The Plant Rescuer
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
Manny harnesses love, determination, and a visit to the library to care for his first plant and make his gardener father proud.

Manny comes from a long line of gardeners, and to him, the greatest gardener of all is his dad. Dad always knows what plants need. Even with no yard to garden in, he tends their small apartment into a lush jungle.

One day, the time comes for Manny to get his very own first plant! Dad trusts Manny to care for his new amigo, and Manny is determined to rise to the challenge. But watching Dad’s masterful work isn’t the same as knowing everything he knows, and Manny’s amigo keeps wilting, no matter what he tries! Dad would know what to do, but this is Manny’s plant, and he wants to be the one to save it.

Luckily, before his new amigo, Manny had another friend: the library! A day of research and a stack of books gets him back on track in no time. Manny’s plant grows bigger and bigger, until his room overflows with beautiful, healthy leaves, plentiful enough for Dad to share cuttings with the whole neighborhood. Now Manny can proudly say that he is the youngest in a long line of gardeners.

Longtime illustrator Matthew Rivera makes his authorial debut with a story that will warm every green-thumbed heart. Any child with an older role model whose shoes they dream of growing into will delight in Manny’s success and his zest for independent trial-and-error.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

Celebrates family roots as well as the pleasure of cultivating, and sharing, new skills.

Publishers Weekly

In this sunny problem-solving tale, Manny and his landscaper father "come from a long line of gardeners." Though the Latinx-cued family's apartment has no garden, "Dad has a gift for growing jungles in the smallest spaces," and lush, collage-like spreads by Rivera show the home overflowing with growth. Inspired, Manny asks for a plant of his own, and his father is quick to oblige. When the plant begins to lose leaves, the story follows Manny as he tries to revive it. The plant's rebirth champions independence ("I promised I would take care of my amigo by myself"), patience, and finding answers at Manny's "old friend, the library," while the child's success, and his father's affirmation, result in a generous impulse: "Mijo, let's share your gift and take cuttings of your amigo to our neighbors." Ages 4-8. (May)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Matthew Rivera
Matthew Rivera grew up in Arizona, and worked for many years as an art director for agencies, large corporations and toy companies. He now lives in Portland, Oregon and is an author and illustrator of books for children. He can be found working at his desk with a large cup of coffee, while Mavis, his pet rabbit, yanks his shoelaces for extra greens.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780823454990
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Neal Porter Books
Publication date
May 21, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF019060 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Family | Parents
JNF037030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Flowers & Plants
JNF022000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Gardening
Library of Congress categories
Fathers and sons
Picture books
Gardening
Perseverance
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!