Planting Hope

A child discovers a secret ingredient for nurturing plants--and for helping ailing loved ones, too--in this tender story by a two-time New York Times best-selling author celebrating the power of hope.

Everyone in Henry's family loves plants and gardening. So why can he never get his little plant to grow, no matter how hard he tries? His mom has been able to grow anything since she was young, and even cultivated a whole orchard to help feed people who were hungry. Henry imagines his mother as a great tree, with branches wrapping around the whole community. "People and seeds have a lot in common," his mom likes to say. "If you want them to grow strong, nourishment and sunlight aren't enough--they also need hope." When Henry's mom becomes sick and it looks like she may not recover, this belief that she's sown in her son becomes key to what happens next. Frederick Joseph, award-winning author of The Black Friend, offers a bighearted story about keeping hope alive in the face of grief--and a gentle allegory with an upbeat message about healing a fragile planet.

Author: Frederick Joseph
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 03/03/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 10.80h x 9.80w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781536233452
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 02/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 03/02/2026
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2026
School Library Journal 01/01/2026 pg. 39

About the Author
Frederick Joseph is a Yonkers, New York-raised three-time New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. His books include the poetry collection We Alive, Beloved; the nonfiction works Patriarchy Blues, The Black Friend, and Better Than We Found It, co-written with Porsche Joseph; the picture book Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith; and the YA novel This Thing of Ours. He was recognized with a 2021 International Literacy Association Young Adult Book Award, was named to the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for marketing and advertising, and is an activist, philanthropist, and poet. Frederick Joseph was also honored with a 2023 Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award and the 2018 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, and he was selected for the 2018 Root 100, a list of the most influential African Americans.

Paul Kellam is a New York Times best-selling illustrator who earned a bachelor's in media arts and animation from the Art Institute of Jacksonville. He has colorfully illustrated various books, including You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!) by Taraji P. Henson, Kiki Finds Her Voice by Kierra Sheard-Kelly, and The Little Mermaid: Make a Splash by Ashley Franklin, among many others. Paul Kellam resides in Florida with his bestie and their adopted dog-son, Baby.