Book Review: Planted with Love: Growing into a Family

In the children’s picture book, Planted with Love: Growing into a Family, author Natasha Triplett does a beautiful job of using gardening as an allegory for one’s life. Each page contains colorful images of flowers and will break your heart while simultaneously filling it with the hope of a brighter future.

The main character, Lamar, is moving into his new foster home—one of many he has lived in. His foster mother enjoys gardening and encourages him to participate with her. Lamar feels certain he will not live in this home for long, and he withdraws to his room and watches her tend the garden from his window.

The patience, love, and perseverance required to be a foster parent is on full display in this book. The foster mother strikes the difficult balance of encouraging Lamar while also giving him the space he needs to process his feelings and experiences. She never gives up on Lamar and slowly, he begins to bloom just like the flowers in the garden.

I loved this book not only for the eye-catching illustrations but for the way Triplett uses a seemingly simple idea to convey such complex realities to children. Whether your family has a similar dynamic or your hope is to cultivate empathy and understanding around children experiencing foster care, I would highly recommend adding Planted with Love: Growing into a Family to your family reading list.

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Available for purchase on Amazon