The Plant Rescuer by Matthew Rivera (review)

Reviewed by: The Plant Rescuer by Matthew Rivera Kate Quealy-Gainer Rivera, Matthew The Plant Rescuer; written and illus. by Matthew Rivera. Porter/Holiday House, 2024 32p Trade ed. ISBN 9780823454990 18. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-6 yrs Young Manny loves to join his landscaper father at work, watching him prune, trim, and plant, so when he gets his very own plant to care for, he promises to do the very best for his new "amigo. " But a kid's life has plenty of distractions, and after months of unintentional neglect, the beautiful green plant is soon browned and wilted. Manny tries to revive it with some fertilizer (perhaps a bit too much) and water (perhaps a bit too much), but nothing works, and he doesn't want to ask for his father's help for fear of his disappointment. So, off to the next best reliable source of plant info, the library: soon he knows just the right amounts of water, sunlight, fertilizer, pruning, and even serenading needed to make the plant thrive. His "amigo" grows and grows, and soon he shares his plant with the neighbors, offering them cuttings at his dad's suggestion. The story is sweet and direct, and Manny is an utterly relatable Everykid whose struggles with a new responsibility will ring especially true for readers just beginning to take on new roles at home and school. The mixed media art is replete with textures and vibrant color, with lush greens, sunny yellows, and cheerful reds popping from each page, and varying perspectives bring movement to fuller spreads while small vignettes focus Manny's actions. Plants abound everywhere, if not framing the pages then sneakily showing up in the background, and the verdant explosion of leaves covering Manny's room ends the book with a triumphant sense of a job well done. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois