GROW

Poetic language describes babies and their caregivers as though they are elements in a flourishing garden, with pull-tabs that bring the garden symbolism to bloom.

Opening with the text “I waited for you like a sprout from a seed,” the book follows various babies as they grow through the stages of early childhood, all described through rhyming plant imagery. Among the children are the metaphoric “new leaf,” a blond, White baby joyfully crawling; the “bloom,” a Black child toddling under an older woman’s watchful eye, and the “blossoming wonder / an unfurling vine,” an adventurous, scootering White preschooler. Like every garden, the narrative ends cyclically, with an older child welcoming a newborn sibling; both are children of color. Men and women of various racial presentations participate in caregiving, and as they wave stuffed toys and indulgently chase toddlers, their “joy, more than you know,” is apparent. Magically nestled in the flourishing garden, the eclectically likable characters have a kitschy Mary Blair feel, with prominent apple cheeks. Tight watercolors start out in primarily muted greens but become more eye-catchingly colorful as the babies grow. Pull-tabs at the tops of pages further the garden analogy as various foliage pops up until the final page reveals vibrant red poppies, making the book look like a three-dimensional potted plant. With so many elements, the book could feel like too much, but it so intentionally revels in its floral decadence that it works.

A surprisingly sweet and sumptuous presentation.