How to Talk to Your Succulent is a charmingly illustrated dive into grief. The subject matter is heavy, but necessary to every single person. Adara is a very mature preteen, realizing that she needs to talk about her feelings. Navigating her new normal as she adjusts and discovers an ever changing landscape of what day to day looks like is touching. I believe this book will be able to reach into the parts that are struggling to heal of those who pick it up. Magical realism in a beautiful graphic novel with heavy hitting subject matter...what more could one ask for?
I also really enjoy the information found at the end about propagating succulents!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the opportunity to read and advanced copy in return for my honest review!

How to Talk to Your Succulent is a graphic novel following young Adara as she learns she can talk to plants after her mother's death. The illustrations were gorgeous, colorful, and the plants were SO CUTE. The story had strong themes of friendship and grief and had such tender moments. I loved this graphic novel. 10/10

I received an ARC from Penguin Random House Canada | Tundra Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Zoe Persico’s debut middle grade graphic novel is a poignant tale of the aftermath of a loved one’s death and finding courage to confront one’s own anxieties and insecurities. After her mother’s passing, Adara finds herself swept away by her father from sunny California to cold Michigan to live with grandma. Through beautiful illustrative panels and delightful character designs, the story navigates through Adara’s struggles at home trying to connect with her closed off father, at school with a new friend also dealing with an overbearing parent, all the while discovering that she could talk to plants just like her mother. It’s a story that would touch many hearts and help those who have lost someone dear to them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lovely middle grade graphic novel about a young girl, Adara, who moves from California to her grandmother's house in Michigan with her dad after her mom passes away. There she attempts to bridge an emotional gap with her father, makes a friend, and learns that she can literally talk to plants. Her mother also had a special connection to plants. But then gaps in communication and misunderstandings cause hurt feelings, and Adara must learn from her mistakes even if they had no ill intent.
I loved the messaging in this book and how nuanced and real it felt, even with the talking plants. It showed how, in a very real way, hurt people can hurt others unintentionally. It was a lovely to showcase this idea using plants because plants cannot (usually) verbally communicate what is wrong with them, so you have to be observant and check in regularly. The art was also nicely stylized and comforting. The colors were lovely.
Overall this was very well thought out and a wonderful way to communicate something that can be difficult to explain to a younger person.

This story was very cute. I love the overall message of overcoming grief. My favorite part of this work is how beautiful the art style is.

This was such a great book! I loved the art style. It was different than the other styles you see in middle grade graphic novels nowadays. The themes of grief combined with the fantasy plant magic was a super great way to show the emotions and development of the main character. It made me want a succulent myself!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
4 stars

This is a very impactful graphic novel on grief and the ways we find to cope with it. The author had a nice balance of representing it with magical realism but also just, well, realism. It was heartbreaking but real to see the father mess up on how to handle it, and for Adara not to know how to handle her emotions and isolating because of that. The art wasn't my personal favorite, but it was very expressive and effective, so it's not like it's not great, just not my personal taste. I'd definitely recommend for people who enjoy middle grade comics!

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley, for this ARC of How To Talk To Your Succulent written by Zoe Persico. This beautiful middle-grades graphic novel dives into themes of friendship, grief, family dynamics, mental health, communication, and magical realism.

Adara is eleven years old and has recently lost her Mother. Her Dad decides to uproot their lives in California and move back to Michigan to be closer to family during this time. Adara is displeased by this decision and does not understand why they must bring all her Mother's plants with them. When Adara arrives in her new home at her Grandmother's house, she feels alone, confused, sad, frustrated, and can't seem to connect with her Dad. But one day, her Dad takes her to a store that sells plants, and Adara discovers her ability to talk with plants just like her Mother did. This changes everything for Adara, especially how she opens up about her feelings. I love Adara's connection with her Grandmother and how she validates Adara's freedom, emotions, and capabilities. The plants allow Adara to feel close to her Mother again, find her voice, rebuild her connection with her Dad, and understand herself. What a beautiful story! Yes, I got choked up at times!

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and capture this story in a very comforting and raw way. I love the representation in this story, and the fact that all people deal with emotions in different ways is portrayed. I love the color palette in this story and the way flashbacks/memories come in and out of the story!

I felt a deep connection to this story because I just lost a parent this past year, and navigating all those feelings and emotions after it is hard, especially when you go to them about everything. Working on the relationship you have with the other parent can, at times, feel weird but also refreshing. This story encompassed the main character's feelings and emotions and the other family members. It also captured those feelings I felt when going through grief. What I loved the most was reading the author's notes and feeling in awe of this individual. The Michigan connection made me feel so close to this story and author. My Dad deeply loved that state because his adoptive Mother was from there, and he loved visiting the Great Lakes to kayak.

I highly recommend this book for anyone of any age, especially middle grade, who is navigating significant changes or the grief of a loved one close to them because it allows them to feel heard. While also navigating being a teen and trying to understand what that means. Thank you again for this ARC! I look forward to purchasing this graphic novel for my library when it becomes available.

This was a cute story that melted my heart. It talked about loss and finding your way after. It was so cute and I’d totally recommend for younger audiences! I wasn’t the biggest fan of the art style but loved how the plants were drawn! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was such a heartwarming, cute story - perfect for fans of K. O'Neill! It's hard to believe this is a debut graphic novel and I feel honored to be able to read it before it's published! I honestly wasn't expecting much going into it since there was no cover available (at the time of this review) to base what the art style would be like, but I loved it. I honestly cried throughout this book, but in a good way. Obviously, it is dealing with grief and how that presents in different people, but it also deals with how to be a good friend. I would say that some younger folks might not understand the nuance of Adara's friendship with Winnie, but I think it is a good way to see how young audience members empathize with the characters.

Overall, loved it and hope this author does some more!!!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC!!!
4.5 I ADORED the art in this graphic novel. I was enamored by the story and the depth the author went into regarding depression and the loss of a loved one. Both topics were handled well and with care. I admired all the characters and their journey. I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you are looking for a short but heartfelt read.

This was a great portrayal of grief and loneliness. I really liked the colors and the way the plants were drawn.

When I say that I WEPT!! Tundra and Zoe Persico this book is a masterpiece. There is a gap for books on grief from a place of emotional maturity for kids and this book fills it perfectly. I cannot wait to recommend this book to customers, from the bottom of my heart. Tattooed parent representation, "my parents aren't perfect, they are struggling too" energy.

Thank you thank you thank you

How to Talk to Your Succulent is another beautiful middle grade graphic novel that broke my heart and put it back together. It follows a young girl, who recently lost her mother, and moves with her father to her grandmother's house. This subject matter is heavy, but it is handled with such care. The main character ends up developing some pretty amazing PLANT MAGIC, and the story was such a delightful, heartwarming read.

I loved everything about this one! Thanks to NetGalley, Zoe Persico, and Penguin Random House for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own.

This was such a sweet and touching graphic novel. Adara must cope with the loss of her mom while putting down roots in her new home—Grandma’s house in Michigan.

Much different than the sunny California coast, the winter blues settle in on top of the weight of undiscussed grief. When Adara’s dad takes her to a plant nursery to cheer her up, everything changes as a tiny succulent arrives and makes a big impact in Adara’s life.

Things I loved about this book:
- The colors used throughout the book to portray emotions. There was great play on light and dark to capture the tone of the scene.
- Can we just be real and say that Adara’s dad is a cutie? Okay. It needed to be said.
- THE FOOD SCENES! Adara’s grandma declares her “sous-chef” and there are a couple cute cooking moments with food that I wish I could’ve eaten off the page.

Overall a very cozy and beautifully-illustrated middle grade graphic novel perfect for a tween, touching on important issues like grief, friendship, and communication.

This gorgeously drawn graphic novel follows a young girl after the passing of her mother. The effects of grief are beautifully illustrated with vines. Books with dads, whether they are good or bad, always tug at me. I loved reading through Adara and her dad's journey to healing. I would recommend this book to someone who is going through a loss. Plus a cute little succulent to help them through the hardest times in our lives.

In all the ways that matter, this book was stunning. This was centered around grief and how to talk through, nurture friendships through, and understand that grief from a child's perspective, and everything in that regard was beautifully done. This is a read I'll be passing around once my library orders it because it's perfect not only for teens experiencing a loss, but for anyone who needs a warm, comforting book to get them through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the arc

How to Talk to Your Succulent is a sweet graphic novel about a young girl who has recently moved to Michigan to live with her grandma after losing her mother. She discovers she has the ability to talk to plants--and they talk back. This is a beautifully-illustrated and poignant story about grief, communication, and friendship. I definitely recommend to people of all ages, but especially children who are in a similar position to the mc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was really sweet. This graphic novel follows Adara, a girl whose mother just passed away, and her adventures with talking plants, settling into a new home across the country, making a new friend, and reconnecting with her father. The illustrations were beautiful. I think this would work great for any middle schooler, but if you're older (like me) this is still a sweet graphic novel to pick up. My only complaint is that I wish it were longer!

Depression is a very thick theme in this book. We follow a young girl who just lost her mom. Her father's moved them to his mothers houses far away from where they lived with her mom. What makes it worse is he won't talk to her about it, so she feels so alone. Don't want to give too much away about this book, they take care of some plants and grow from their journey. This is a great book for kids and adults suffering from depression. This story deals with the depression that comes from the loss of a loved one.