Growing Home by Beth Ferry illustrated by The Fan Brothers

The only thing to note about Number 3 Ramshorn Drive was the big oak tree in the front yard—and what went on inside. I can promise you it won’t be what you are expecting. Unless of course you are expecting a story about two plants, a spider, and a magical fish tank. Oh, and cheese puffs—lots and lots of cheese puffs. 

If you’re expecting that, then this is the story for you.

And don’t forget, hope is like a hook ... 

Once it catches hold of you, it doesn’t easily let go.

First off I need to say this book will be nearly impossible to find here in Australia unless, like me, you are prepared to read an ebook version. If you do find the book [9781665942485] the price of the print edition is way too high for a school library at over AUS$32 for this 272pg middle grades illustrated novel. Hopefully there will eventually be a paperback edition for a better price AND booksellers will bring it here to Australia (hint hint Gleebooks Kids).  

Here is a list of the characters in this book. I am sure you will find it hard to imagine how there could possibly be a story that connects them - a goldfish named Toasty; an ivy pant in a pot named Ivy; a spider named Arthur; a violet plant in a pot named Ollie; a canary named Sunny; and a bee named Louise. Listen to this podcast. And here is part two of that same podcast. 

Jillian's parents run an antique store. They have dreams of 'making the big break' and finding an antique worth tons of money. Right now this is even more important because Mr and Mrs Tapper have made some unwise decisions, borrowed too much money from the bank and now they are in real danger of having no money and perhaps no home.

They regularly visit garage and farm house sales and that is where they found the very curious octagonal-shaped fish tank (that is where Toasty lives). The parents, however, have no idea that someone else wants this tank nor do they know it has magical properties. 

Jillian is desperate for a pet but Toasty the fish is all she is allowed to have until she finds Ivy. Yes, Ivy is an indoor plant, but Jillian loves her and talks to her. In fact, Toasty is becoming quite jealous about their relationship. Also, Ivy is sure SHE is Jillian's favourite.

Mr and Mrs Tapper bring home an old large desk from a bookshop - the house is filled with the antiques the collect. What they do not know is that a little spider has made the desk his home and even more importantly (but I cannot tell you why) this desk also contains a very large, very old, first edition (hint) book.

So in this story there will be heroism, teamwork, everyone will make new friends, and of course you will be smiling over the glorious happy ending. This is a perfect book to share with readers aged 7+. 

Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this story:

Ivy was the small houseplant who sat on the kitchen table. She had three speckles on each leaf and three letters in her name. “Good morning, Ivy!” Jillian sang. “Who’s ready for some sunshine?” Jillian had never actually announced to anyone that Ivy was her favorite, but Toasty could tell. Actions speak louder than words. So do singing and dancing and kissing. Jillian picked Ivy up and danced her to the window, where the sun could kiss her leaves. The sun had never kissed Toasty’s fins or his face or his tail. Not once. Not ever.

“A goal of the day keeps the boredom away!” she said. ... “ROY is the beginning of the rainbow,” Ivy explained. “It stands for red, orange, and yellow. I’ve decided my goal of the day is to find something for each color of the rainbow.”

Despite not being her favorite, Toasty loved Jillian. She might have questionable judgment when it came to favorites, but she was always doing something interesting. And when you’re a goldfish—even a goldfish in an octagonal tank—interesting is important. Toasty couldn’t wait to see what was in the box. He was sure it wasn’t cheese puffs, but as we’ve said, hope is like a hook, and Toasty was hooked on cheese puffs. And hey, weirder things have happened.

And in that moment, Arthur realized that he, too, had a superpower. It was reading. Which explained why there were so many books in the world. Everyone wanted a superpower.

You will remember that Toasty does not have very good manners. It’s still up for debate as to why that is, but it is a fact. Toasty felt like his home was being overrun by strangers. First a spider, then a violet, and now a bee. Enough was enough! “Manners, schmanners. What’s next, a horse?”

“Friends, schmends,” Toasty muttered. “Cheese puffs are better than friends.” “Nothing is better than a friend, Toasty!” Ivy admonished.

Listen to an audio sample here. And I found a video of Beth Ferry reading the opening chapters of her book.

One of my favorite things about this book is the abundance of wordplay the author uses. Whether your kid is an English nerd or just loves a funny book, they’ll have plenty to giggle about while reading this one. It features a truckload of puns, new vocabulary words taught to readers as they read, and beautiful illustrations to bring each chapter to life. Reading Middle Grade

"Ferry has presented a wonderfully imaginative story with magic, mystery, and adventure, set almost entirely in one setting (goldfish tanks don’t move that easily). In addition, detailed pencil illustrations by the talented Fan brothers are sprinkled throughout, and these add whimsy to the novel’s delightfully expressive animal and vegetal protagonists, especially Toasty, with his signature bowler hat and perpetual frown." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Kirkus review: Each character has a distinct personality and perspective; sometimes they clash, but more often they learn to empathize, see each other’s points of view, and work to help one another. ... The Fan brothers’ soft-edged, old-fashioned, black-and-white illustrations depict Toasty and Arthur with tiny hats; Ivy and Ollie have facial expressions on their plant pots. ... The story comes together like a recipe: Simple ingredients combine, transform, and rise into something wonderful. In its matter-of-fact wisdom, rich vocabulary (often defined within the text), hint of magic, and empathetic nonhuman characters who solve problems in creative ways, this delightful work is reminiscent of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo ...

This book will be a really terrific family read aloud. I suggest you buy a packet or two of cheese puffs - Toasty loves these and because he kept talking about them I started to want to eat some too. I am not sure what we call these here in Australia but I found this packet which is sold at our local supermarkets. 

You can read more plot details here. 

Bookseller blurb: Ivy is the beloved houseplant of young Jillian Tupper of Number 3 Ramshorn Drive, much to the constant dismay of Toasty the goldfish, who is technically the family pet—swimming in his special place of honor, the antique octagonal fish tank—and should be the most loved. It seems that's how the cookie (or cheese puffs, in Toasty's case) crumbles in the curious Tupper household, but soon a sequence of thrilling and magical events challenges that way of life forever. First, there's the arrival of Arthur, a knowledgeable spider with a broken leg and a curious mind, hidden in an old typewriter. Then Jillian throws everyone for a loop when she brings home dear, sweet Ollie, a school houseplant who just wants to be friends and sing. When Toasty splashes the plants with his tank water out of frustration, the friends learn that they can do magical things—like lift heavy objects and turn things invisible! It turns out Toasty's fishtank isn't just for fish; it was made by a curious inventor who gave it special powers that, in the wrong hands, could disrupt everything forever. And a curious man with purple shoes just so happens to want that tank at any cost. Can Ivy, Toasty, Arthur, and Ollie grow to be friends in time to work together to save their beloved Tupper family from utter ruin?

I have previously talked about lots of book illustrated by The Fan Brothers and also Beth Ferry (check out her page about Growing Home) and see all her books here.  I am excited to meet The Fan Brothers at the 2026 IBBY Congress on Ottawa.