Watch a Banana Grow

These new books in the Watch It Grow series follows the growth of various kinds of plants, as well any fruit (or acorns) they produce. Each book begins by introducing the final product, whether a fruit or the tree itself. It then asks where the plant comes from and the conditions it needs in order to grow. Only after that does the author trace the plant’s life cycle. In Banana, Chang follows this popular fruit’s growth from bulb to tall plant, a big flower, and the harvest of green fruit. Pineapple reveals that this tropical fruit is cultivated by cutting off and planting a pineapple’s leafy stalk, which then flowers and produces new fruit. Tiny seeds in Strawberry become seedlings that develop runners, leaves, flowers, and fruit. Chang details an acorn’s journey in Oak Tree as it produces a root and then a shoot that grows into a seedling and finally a tree. Simple photos illustrate each step of the process. Some of these photos recur in the life cycle diagram or the photo glossary at the end of the book. The books seem largely intended for classroom use, with reading activity suggestions for parents and teachers in the front matter. Whatever the setting, young readers will likely enjoy learning about where their favorite fruits and trees come from. —Miriam Aronin