From the bestselling illustrator of Strictly No Elephants comes a sweetly personal and stunningly illustrated picture book about a young girl who grows closer to her grandfather by tending to the garden with him.

When I am as small
as a sprout,
Grandfather’s garden feels
big.

A young girl observes the bugs and blooms and the rich smell of the soil of her grandfather’s garden. Her grandfather hums as he waters his treasured plants. And when he gives the girl a flower of her own, caring for it teaches her to feel her grandfather’s love.

Even as time passes and her grandfather’s garden grows smaller and the girl grows up, she never forgets what she learned or loses her closeness with her nurturing grandfather.

When my daughter is as small
as a sprout, we visit Grandfather
together.

Inspired by the author-illustrator’s own family, this beautiful and personal story celebrates the love that binds families and makes us who we are.

About The Author

Photo courtesy of the author

Taeeun Yoo

Taeeun Yoo has twice received the prestigious New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award. She has illustrated many books, including Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev, which has been published in fourteen countries. The New York Times called it a “sunny, smart, tongue-in-cheek tale.” She is also the illustrator of Kitten and the Night Watchman by John Sullivan, which received five starred reviews and was named a best book of the year by many publications. Her other books include So Many Days and Only a Witch Can Fly, both by Alison McGhee, and Round by Joyce Sidman. Taeeun was also the recipient of the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Society of Illustrators’ Founders Award. She lives in South Korea with her family.

About The Illustrator

Photo courtesy of the author

Taeeun Yoo

Product Details

Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (March 28, 2023)
Length: 40 pages
ISBN13: 9781534442863
Ages: 4 - 8
Lexile ® AD540L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Raves and Reviews

"This sweet, family-centric picture book about a young girl, her grandfather, and their relationship to plants and gardening will resonate with families separated by time and place."

– School LIbrary Journal

"A child helps their grandfather with his garden.... a sweet story of an intergenerational relationship and a beautiful reminder that love can be expressed through actions, drawings, gifts, and time spent together.... A tender tale of how love and home can reach us even through life changes."

– Kirkus Reviews