This middle grade novel captured my attention from the beginning and held my interest to the end. Chloe, the 13-year-old protagonist, was an intriguing character. Thrust into a difficult situation when her parents split, she moves from Montreal to Victoria to live with her father. There she meets Uli, her paternal grandfather, a passionate gardener on a mission to save heritage plants.
Torn between the past and the present, Chloe struggles to understand the difficult relationship between her father and grandfather, all the while trying to honor her grandfather’s legacy. Even though her own life is in turmoil, Chloe doesn’t carry bitterness into each scene. Instead, she rises above it and gives young readers a role model to emulate.

The language is simple – no fancy sentences or difficult words – yet the author, Michelle Mulder, manages to layer the story, add complexity to the plot, and give depth to her characters. Even minor characters were interesting and well rounded. I particularly liked Nikko who was quirky but had interesting views and provided the story with touches of humour. I also liked the positive mindset of Chloe’s parents. Even though they are divorcing, they maintain respect for each other, and try to work through their problems.

I learned new things along the way: heirloom plants, Quakers, yarn bombs, and some of the key differences between living in Victoria vs Montreal. I hadn’t heard of seed libraries before, and now that I have, I am intrigued.

The ending, when it came seemed, seemed a bit sudden. Also, spoiler alert, what was in the red box? Unless, I missed something, I don't think I ever found out. But, all in all, I really enjoyed this book and believe middle grade readers would as well. ( )

A solid novel about family and community, which offers plenty of scope for discussion on environmental themes.

Uprooted from her life in Montreal, Chloe is unhappy about being dragged to Victoria by her father and separated from her mother. But she quickly bonds with her grandfather, whose stroke was the reason for the move. When he suffers a second stroke, she becomes obsessed with finding his collection of heirloom seeds. The supporting characters are charming although the narrator herself feels under-developed and the pacing, which is solid for most of the tale, falters at the end with an abbreviated solution to the problem and too rapid a resolution. The parents marital problems are very believable and add dimension to this simple story.

Many thanks to Orca Book Publishers for the advance reading copy. ( )

I received this book through the Librarything.com Early Reviewers giveaway program. It tells the story of Chloe who must go help take care of her grandfather, who had a stroke. She helps him with his vegetable garden, which includes many heirloom vegetables. I really enjoyed reading it, and recommend it for older elementary and middle school students.

This was a really great book. I laughed, I cried, I learned about vegetables. I really liked how the characters and readers are left with hope and a path to the future, but everything wasn't tied up in a neat, happy little bow. We didn't have all the answers, but we know it'll be okay. And it's a very realistic portrayal of loss I thought. Highly recommended! ( )

This book, which seems best suited for the preteen age group, is a charming story about a girl who gets to know her grandfather after moving to Vancouver from Montreal. While dealing with the distress of leaving her best friend and dealing with her parents' separation, she starts helping with her grandfather's garden full of heirloom vegetables. She finds that her grandfather is like a museum curator, keeping the memories associated with each plant alive and preserving the seeds for future generations. This is a lovely story that might possibly get readers more interested in eating vegetables! ( )