• Age: 4 to 7
• Grade: k to 2
• Reading age: 4 to 7

“[About] accept[ing] the inevitability of change and the importance of supporting others’ success and growth.”—Publishers Weekly

When a florist puts two plants in the same rosy-colored pot, he tells the bigger, stronger plant to look after the smaller, weaker one. An artist buys the plants and takes them home, where they become part of the family, celebrating happy occasions and feeling sorrowful during hard times. But as time passes and the plants grow, the pot becomes too small, and the two must be separated. While this makes the larger plant sad, it still rejoices in the way the smaller one flourishes on its own, and looks forward to the day when they will be planted in the artist’s garden to grow into trees together.

Nahid Kazemi has created a charming, beautifully illustrated story about accepting growth and change in close relationships.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7
>With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
>Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
>dentify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
>Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
>Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)

NAHID KAZEMIis an artist, illustrator and graphic designer with a master’s degree in painting from Tehran’s University of Art. She has published more than sixty children’s books and has received awards for her illustrations in Iran as well as nominations for the Governor General’s Award and the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her recent publications include I’m Glad That You’re Happy, which she wrote and illustrated, and Over the Rooftops, Under the Moon by JonArno Lawson. She has also taught art and has exhibited her work in Iran, France, Italy, the UK, Lebanon and Serbia. Nahid lives in Montreal.

Nahid Kazemi's profile page

[Nahid Kazemi] tells her tale of child-rearing with a positive and fairly glowing feeling of all-around goodness.

Kirkus Reviews

The sweet narrative about the enduring love between parents and children, along with the detail-rich artwork, makes this perfect for sharing one-on-one.

Booklist

Kazemi warmly depicts a close family, and the art is filled with cozy details of their life together.

School Library Journal