The World's Best Class Plant

by Audrey Vernick (Author) Lynnor Bontigao (Illustrator)

The World's Best Class Plant
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

An irresistible picture book about a boy and his classmates who long for a class pet, but discover the joys and rewards of nurturing a class plant.

Room 107 has a cockatiel. Room 108 has a chinchilla. Even the Art Room has a bearded dragon. But in Room 109, Arlo's classroom, there is a plant. A mostly green, hardly growing, never moving plant. Even though it doesn't squeak, whistle, or whimper, Arlo's teacher says the plant is "more than enough excitement for us." But what could possibly be exciting about a plant?

One day, Arlo decides to name the plant Jerry. Something about naming the plant makes it more exciting. As the class learns to take care of Jerry, he starts to grow . . . greener and longer and twistier. And before long it's clear that something amazing has taken root in Arlo's classroom.

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Hardcover
$17.09 $18.99

Kirkus Reviews

Starred Review
Laden with humorous charm, this wise, beautifully written story delivers some plant knowledge, fosters empathy for a living thing, and promotes cooperation . . . This book will genuinely grow on readers.

Booklist

This laugh-out-loud, earnestly lovely picture book about a class plant who grows into his full potential is a must-read--preferably aloud--for classrooms and young readers who might be skeptical about plants . . . This is an adorably fun read with great classroom appeal and just the right amount of real plant information to keep kids interested in the humor and fun but still leave them intrigued by plants. The soft realism of Bontigao's illustrations, naturally full of lots of greenery, brings in the eye and will keep readers moving around the page to discover new joys.

Hornbook

Scanlon and Vernick bring humor and an ear for the dialogue of elementary-school classrooms to this lively text . . . Bontigao brings a diverse group of students to these pages and captures bustling elementary classrooms with details and precision.

Review quotes



Audrey Vernick
Audrey Vernick is the author of Brothers at Bat and other baseball books. An avid fan, she lives New Jersey. audreryvernick.com, Twitter: @yourbuffalo, Instagram: @audrey_vernick.

Cannaday Chapman's work has been featured in the New York Times and The New Yorker. He currently lives in Germany. cannadaychapman.com, Twitter and Instagram: @cannadaychapman.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525516354
Lexile Measure
710L
Guided Reading Level
N/A
Publisher
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication date
May 20, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV029000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | General
JUV035000 - Juvenile Fiction | School & Education
Library of Congress categories
Pets
Picture books
Schools
Plants

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