Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
The back cover of this children’s hard covered book, tells the reader that:
‘In this book you’ll find lots of things that grow Branching ever upward, or tangled deep below…’
While the front cover has the words ‘Seeds of wisdom only nature knows’.
This is a book that not only tells the reader or listening ears what happens in nature, but it is implied that, as within nature, not all people grow the same way. The reader is told that to grow is more than size, and that we can learn a lot from nature.
Highlighted are the ferns that grow slowly and the flowering plants that grow boldly with their many amazing flowers. Some of nature grows vibrantly like the corals that build cities under the sea while the seaweeds grow tall as they gently sway on the tide. Others grow simply like the sponges while the lichen grow lightly, not making much of an impact on any surface.
We can grow sturdy, like the trees, with all their knots and scars, which are often surrounded by the loud howls and hoots of the many birds as they make their presence felt as they grow. As in nature we can grow in harsh places and some even grow to be cunning but by growing together like the fungi, staying close to others around us we learn to know the things at risk which helps us in our choices. The story finishes with the words, ‘The greatest part of growing up… Is doing it together.
This beautifully presented children’s book with labelled examples of the many varieties of species found in nature, has a lovely message for young developing minds. The colours are vibrant with text, mostly in four-line stanzas, in black ink on a white or yellow background, making it easy to read.
Australian author and illustrator, Jess McGeachin, published his first book, Fly, in 2019 and it was shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia and Queensland Literary Awards. Since then, twelve more books have been published both locally and internationally. His first two non-fiction books, Deep and Kind, were published in 2022. Deep was recognised as the winner of the 2023 CBCA Eve Pownall Award.
His latest book is informative, with colours appealing to the primary school reader.
Grow
(2026)
by Jess McGeachin
Allen & Unwin
ISBN:978-1-7611-8238-9
$24.99;36pp