Growing Home

Mr. and Mrs. Tupper, who own an antique store, live with their daughter, Jillian, at Number 3 Ramshorn Drive. But in this story, the human characters take a backseat to the other residents of Number 3: Toasty, a grumpy goldfish, and Ivy, an ebullient houseplant. 

Toasty resents Ivy, who is talkative and rather full of herself, for being Jillian’s “favorite,” but Toasty tolerates Ivy because she fetches him cheese puffs, which he loves. When a brainy spider named Arthur arrives at the house in an antique desk, closely followed by a second potted plant, Ollie, the social dynamic shifts. Ivy begins to realize that she has a lot to learn about friendship. She also discovers that she and Ollie have magical abilities caused by splashes of water from Toasty’s antique octagonal fish tank. 

As it turns out, the tank is one of two magical items designed by one Augustus Octothorpe; the other is a birdcage that Mr. Tupper has acquired and is restoring. When an underhanded buyer realizes the Tuppers have no intention of selling the items to him, he breaks into the Tuppers’ home to steal them—and is met with the well-orchestrated countermeasures of Toasty, Ivy, Ollie, and Arthur, who have come together to protect themselves and their home. Cleverly plotted, charming, and satisfying, this standalone novel has a cozy, old-fashioned feel and delightful illustrations. Who knew houseplants could undergo such profound emotional growth?

CCBC Choices 2026. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 2026. Used with permission.