After 11-year-old Adara’s mom dies, there are a lot of things she doesn’t understand—first of which is why her dad is moving them from sunny California to freezing Michigan. And why doesn’t he seem to want to spend any time with Adara? She also never understood why everyone said her mom could talk to plants. That is, until one day her new succulent says “heeeelllooooo” to her. Now she has Perle and a plethora of her mom’s plants to talk to, but Adara’s going to have to learn that being a good friend means listening, too.
How to Talk to Your Succulent is Zoe Persico’s first graphic novel, but she has contributed her vibrant illustrations to other children’s books such as Greta and the Giants. The color palette throughout is beautiful, and the visual metaphor of anxieties as red, thorny vines growing out of Adara and Perle’s backs is powerful. All the characters, human and plant alike, are endearing, but Adara’s new friend Winnie shines as an accepting person who also enforces boundaries and stands up for herself. Instructions on how to propagate succulents will delight horticulturalists. This emotional and stunning graphic novel will root deep in hearts and inspire readers to listen to even the quietest of voices.
