This was such a great middle grade read. There was so much fantastic and rich vocabulary integrated into the story that is great for this age group, and Ferry integrates the definitions into the story so well. The message about friendship was well done, and this cast of characters was so fun. I thought the illustrations went along perfectly, and we read this one aloud with my 1st and 3rd graders over a few nights before bed time. They both enjoyed the story a lot, and were huge fans of Toasty the goldfish and his love of cheese puffs.

This was an enchanting book filled with magic and the importance of friendship. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC!

I already had my eye on Growing Home. It sounded super cute. I thought it'd be one I'd read with my kid, but I ended up loving it and reading it by myself first. I will say, it seems long, but there's adorable illustrations and short chapters, so it flies by!

This is a story of a motley crew of a talking fish, ivy plant, and spider and how their lives intertwine, along with friends they make as their story is told. There's a touch of literal magic, as well as the magic you discover through life and friendships.

I think this hits a lot of those familiar notes that will remind parents of Charlotte's Web. It's equally touching and sweet, but without anyone dying at the end and traumatizing a generation.

A heartwarming book that is perfect for children of all ages. It's wonderful to see the characters' friendships develop throughout the story.

Beautiful, heartwarming, and hopeful.
Beth Ferry’s Growing Home tells the moving story of a young girl and her family as they are uprooted from their familiar home and must begin again somewhere new. With poetic language and quiet emotional depth, Ferry captures the mix of fear, loss, and possibility that comes with change. The central metaphor of planting roots in new soil is both literal and symbolic, making it especially powerful for children experiencing a big transition—whether it’s a move, a new school, or a life shift.

The illustrations by are soft, expressive, and filled with small, tender details that mirror the emotional journey.
🌱 Highly recommended for family reading or classroom discussion.

Growing Home is an adorable book about sentient plants, pet goldfish, insects, and more! All of the creatures in this book show us how to recognize our differences with compassion and empathy and to have love for one another, as we never know what the other is going through.

A wonderful read for those awkward middle age range when a child is struggling to “fit in”. The way the author uses a fish, plant, and a spider to bring a powerful message will help anyone connect with the story. Definitely needs a spot on my classroom bookshelf!

This book was not my cup of tea, but I think younger readers would enjoy it. The writing style is choppy and abrupt, but the characters are enjoyable - and very unusual! There's a bit of magic and a lot of friendship and growth for the main characters. It's a quick read, so good for readers just venturing into middle grade novels.

Growing Home is adorable and gives me Secret Life of Pets vibes. I loved all characters' voices and how they each had their own separate conflict. I think young readers are going to enjoy this one!

Good for fans of Kate DiCamillo, this cozy story is a simple tale of friendship between the nonhuman creatures in a house. Easy to follow plot and very cute pictures make this especially accessible to younger chapter book readers.

Growing home was SUCH a fun read. Absolutely loved the narration and how silly the story was. A great cast of characters and just a goofy story kids are going to LOVE!

Beth Ferry’s GROWING HOME features an unlikely crew of characters who find themselves residing together in the Tupper household. Toasty, the grumpy goldfish, and Ivy, the bubbly houseplant, live with the Tuppers and their daughter Jillian. Arthur, the super smart spider, joins the mix after stowing away in an antique brought home by Mr. Tupper, and Ollie the shy violet plant comes home from school with Jillian. Despite their differences, when they realize the Tupper family is at risk, they come together to devise a plan that will rescue the family, using a splash of magic courtesy of Toasty and his unusual octagonal fish tank.
Each character in this story has a distinct, quirky personality that comes through in their actions and in their dialogue. Illustrations by the Fan Brothers perfectly complement the sweet story about friends that become family as they face challenges.

This book was so much fun. There were so many elements that came together to make this such a special and enduring book. I really enjoyed the characters and thought it was really cool how they all had their own personalities and independence. My kids absolutely loved the pictures throughout the book and I think that it helped to really bring the story to life for them. I loved the antique part of the story as well. I think that this is a book my kids will read again in the future and enjoy even more the second time around.

We read ‘Growing Home’ by Beth Ferry during our preschool story time, and it was an absolute hit! The children were captivated by Toasty and his friends' adventures—such a cute and fun story that kept them engaged from beginning to end. Beth Ferry does a wonderful job of connecting with young readers, weaving in vocabulary explanations naturally throughout the chapters. It’s both entertaining and educational. I highly recommend adding this charming chapter book to your classroom library!

** Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Beth Ferry for an eARC copy of Growing Home.

Oh, this was such a comfort to read. This story follows two houseplants, a fish, a spider, and their journey to friendship. Though none of them are human, each character provides insight to the development of friendship, especially for this books targeted audience of younger readers. Each character has their own personality, some getting along right off the bat and others clashing. Those different personality's are what I think makes this story such a joy to read. I personally loved Toasty the most and found him a delightful character, though he appears anything but that. I was also impressed with the author's ability to carry out a plot in this short chapter book.

As always, one of the major reasons I love reading middle grade books is because majority of them have wonderful illustrations. This one is no exception. Another reason I love Toasty, beyond his personality and his name, was the illustration of him. So well done!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Growing Home is a heartwarming and delightfully quirky middle grade story about unlikely friendships, gentle growth, and finding where you belong. Told through the eyes of a houseplant, a grumpy goldfish, and a thoughtful spider, this story balances humor with heart and sprinkles in a dash of alchemical magic. The characters are full of personality, the setting is cozy and unique (an antique store!), and the soft mystery adds just the right amount of intrigue.

The illustrations are lovely and enhance the whimsical tone of the book beautifully. A perfect pick for readers who love found family, quiet self-discovery, and cozy stories with big charm.

This charming short chapter book is about a grumpy goldfish named Toasty, two houseplants and a spider who come to live together in the small household of the Tupper family. The Tupper family run a small store that sells used items that are sometimes worth a lot of money. There is magic afoot, with talking plants and animals, a disgruntled customer, a runaway canary and a very happy ending. It's a cozy read for young readers, with interesting characters and clever problem solving.

Beth Ferry has created such lovable characters in this novel. Each has distinctive personality that makes the reader root for them. The plot moves well and keeps readers engaged. Children will relate to the characters' quirks and personality, recognizing them as some they may already know. The setting cleverly pulls you as the story unfolds -- unique enough to be interesting with real emotion pull. It's definitely a feel good kind of read where everyone learns something.

Be still my little heart! I LOVED this. I thought it was so captivating and informative for little readers. I loved the way new vocabulary words were introduced so seamlessly in the story. The characters Ivy and Toasty are so lovable and a perfect Odd Couple duo that had me giggling out loud multiple times. I am so glad I read this and absolutely will recommend this to many young library patrons that want something a little magical that has a lot of heart.

Read it!

I have long been a fan of Beth Ferry's picture books. In Growing Home, she creates a story with strong and delightful characters. The plot has a wonderful, yet unexpected suspenseful twist near the end. The Fan Brothers illustrations were the cherry on top! The beautiful illustrations help young readers visualize the characters and important pieces of the story. The owl on page 175 is reminiscent of the owl in The Night Gardener. I would highly recommend this book to my readers!