As every gardener knows, growing something means lots of waiting. The child in this story props an avocado pit over a glass of water with toothpicks and waits...and waits...and waits for it to sprout. Then waits...and waits...and waits for it to grow into a tree. A counting motif ("One glass of water. Two careful hands. Three pointy toothpicks") repeats throughout. "One, two, three - an avocado tree!" ( )

As a family prepares dinner, they choose to keep the avocado pit and attempt to grow a plant from it. The little child patiently (and sometimes impatiently) waits for roots and sprouts as the seed blossoms into a tree over time.

This is lovely picture book about a type of gardening that pretty much everyone can do -- no large plot of land needed! Without being overly wordy, it still manages to be scientific. I could see it being applicable for lessons on Earth Day, eating healthy, plant life cycles, etc. with young children in a classroom setting, library storytime, or one-on-one with a caregiver.

The illustrations are fairly simplistic and somewhat muted in color, but they seem to work with this story. In addition, the text follows a simple counting pattern of 1-2-3, which is an added benefit in making this book a fun read that allows for teachable moments. ( )