Ant and Ladybird find a seedling that won’t grow, and they encourage it to sprout and grow into the sun. Gradually leaves begin to appear, and the little plant grows out and up looking for more sunshine away from the shade of other taller plants. The little plant begins to blossom and flourish with the help of her little animal and insect friends.

I loved the sweet story of encouragement and growth in this book! It’s such a simple story, but with a powerful message. I also love that the growth doesn’t happen all at once. The little seedling has to gradually journey up to the sun, in small steps day by day. The animal friends stay by the side of the little plant, guiding the growth, clearing the ground, and offering help and support.
The illustrations are beautiful! I like the soft colors and misty style. There are lots of plants in the background, so that the entire page is full of brown and dark green and soft yellow. Then in the foreground there are mice, butterflies, crickets, and of course, the Ant and Ladybug.

Once the plant reaches the sunlight, the illustrations are much lighter in color, and the whole page is bathed in sunshine with lighter greens and more vibrant yellows. Birds, grasshoppers, beetles, bees, and caterpillars all come to live and play inside the leaves and branches of the newly grown plant. The details are gorgeous!

Then the fall and winter come, and the illustrations are transformed into orange fall colors and then white snow. The whole journey is dazzling!

The construction of the hardcover book itself is quite sturdy, with thick pages and lovely green endpapers.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.