Flower Block
by Lanisha Butterfield, illustrated by Hoang Giang
Interest age: 4 to 5
Published by Puffin Books, 2024
About this book
Jeremiah’s dad used to love sunflowers. After Jeremiah plants a sunflower seed in a pot, Mum goes off to work overnight, and older brother Theo is in charge.
They are not supposed to bother the neighbours in their tower block. But when they wake up, the plant has sprouted upwards, magically fast, and burst through the ceiling! They need to find the top of it, so they go up the building, from flat to flat, gathering neighbours as they go. But how will grumpy Mr Crisp at number 62 react to this magical plant pushing through his flat?
This delightful book celebrates nature and community, and suggests that a garden on a tower block roof would bring neighbours together. The beautiful illustrations by Hoang Giang show the wonderfully diversity of the people who live under the same roof, and the greenery is lush and luxuriant. There is also an underlying theme of bereavement, which is moving rather than sad.
This might inspire little gardeners, wherever they live – all you need is a plant pot.
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