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Maker Comics
Maker Comics: Grow a Garden!
Maker Comics is the ultimate DIY guide. Inside Grow a Garden, you'll find illustrated instructions for six gardening projects!
Will, Violet, and Basil must be the unluckiest students at the Garden Gnome Academy. They've been stuck with Mr. Butternut, the school's most unpopular (and unusual) teacher. Will and his friends have to learn about soil and compost while their classmates get to study exotic plants and butterflies. Although things get a little messy (and stinky) in his class, Mr. Butternut does know a thing or two about growing delicious veggies.
Follow the easy step-by-step instructions in this book and you can
A compost bin
Seed pots
Potting mix
A growlight shelf
A cold frame
A container garden
Will, Violet, and Basil must be the unluckiest students at the Garden Gnome Academy. They've been stuck with Mr. Butternut, the school's most unpopular (and unusual) teacher. Will and his friends have to learn about soil and compost while their classmates get to study exotic plants and butterflies. Although things get a little messy (and stinky) in his class, Mr. Butternut does know a thing or two about growing delicious veggies.
Follow the easy step-by-step instructions in this book and you can
A compost bin
Seed pots
Potting mix
A growlight shelf
A cold frame
A container garden
128 pages, Paperback
Published February 25, 2020
2 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Alexis Frederick-Frost
29 books9 followersAlexis is co-author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Adventures in Cartooning series of graphic novels. A combination of a how-to book and an exciting adventure story, Adventures in Cartooning was chosen as a Booklist Top Ten Graphic Novel of 2010 and received multiple awards. He also writes and illustrates the recurring comic Kit and Clay published in The Phoenix Magazine in the United Kingdom. Alexis’s illustrations have appeared online and in a variety of publications including Nickelodeon Magazine, The Adventure Time comic, First Second Books, Tugboat press and others. A graduate from the inaugural class of the Center for Cartoon Studies, Alexis currently lives with his wife in Philadelphia.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 2, 2023
Wow! Way more info than I expected - even includes a how-to for composting! Highly recommend. Can't wait to plant seedlings next year.
October 27, 2020
I'll never get over the genius of the First Second series Maker Comics because while they're a series, they're unique, written by a different author with an expertise in the area (or will develop one!) on topics that are of interest personally or professionally to young readers.
This one I ordered several copies of for our library because we have a Vegetable Project organization that starts in middle school and a small garden at the high school run by a dedicated man and a bevy of interested parties to get students' hands in the dirt, think about sustainability, local food sourcing, and kinship with each other. I have so much respect for his tireless effort.
And then we have this awesome graphic novel that explains the intricacies of a compost barrel and gardening (from which seeds need to be started indoor- and how to acclimate them outdoor once ready- to distance, spacing, water, and the like) using a spectacularly fun group of garden gnomes learning from teachers and this one group got stuck with Mr. Butternut who is an old fart- instead he teaches them the magic of gardening. As always, there are plenty of takeaways and the practical application is 100% plus 100% of fun in the process of reading it.
This one I ordered several copies of for our library because we have a Vegetable Project organization that starts in middle school and a small garden at the high school run by a dedicated man and a bevy of interested parties to get students' hands in the dirt, think about sustainability, local food sourcing, and kinship with each other. I have so much respect for his tireless effort.
And then we have this awesome graphic novel that explains the intricacies of a compost barrel and gardening (from which seeds need to be started indoor- and how to acclimate them outdoor once ready- to distance, spacing, water, and the like) using a spectacularly fun group of garden gnomes learning from teachers and this one group got stuck with Mr. Butternut who is an old fart- instead he teaches them the magic of gardening. As always, there are plenty of takeaways and the practical application is 100% plus 100% of fun in the process of reading it.
May 3, 2020
Adorable story with a great information about the basics of starting seedlings and growing a garden. Just the information I was looking for when starting a patio garden!
March 4, 2021
Excellent step by step intro to gardening presented in a fun way!
March 29, 2020
Maker Comics has a noble goal to teach young readers and get them excited about DIY projects. Frederick-Frost creates a cute world of garden gnomes learning about the noble art of horticulture. Each student has a distinct personality with no character being a clear protagonist as they all work together; illustrations show that some of these students are people of color. Every page is filled with vibrant scenery that skillfully depicts the steps of each gardening project
As the gnomes learn the many different types of plants and growing techniques something nefarious lurks just out of sight. Could a rival teacher be plotting something in the greenhouse?
Overall, this installment of the series fails to meet its basic goals of both educating readers and presenting an enticing story; the structure ultimately cancels both out. While there is indeed a nefarious villain and even a few other tidbits of plot, it rarely gets enough page time to make an impression. While the activities are interesting and easy for the intended age group, each guide is presented in speech bubbles making it difficult to follow if you were to execute the DIY. There is also no table of contents to locate a project later.
Budding gardeners (pun intended) will appreciate the mix of story and projects. This would be most appropriate for early elementary readers around grades 3-5. However, students just seeking gardening tips can turn to a regular DIY book while those seeking a garden-based graphic novel will certainly love Mighty Jack by Hatke.
As the gnomes learn the many different types of plants and growing techniques something nefarious lurks just out of sight. Could a rival teacher be plotting something in the greenhouse?
Overall, this installment of the series fails to meet its basic goals of both educating readers and presenting an enticing story; the structure ultimately cancels both out. While there is indeed a nefarious villain and even a few other tidbits of plot, it rarely gets enough page time to make an impression. While the activities are interesting and easy for the intended age group, each guide is presented in speech bubbles making it difficult to follow if you were to execute the DIY. There is also no table of contents to locate a project later.
Budding gardeners (pun intended) will appreciate the mix of story and projects. This would be most appropriate for early elementary readers around grades 3-5. However, students just seeking gardening tips can turn to a regular DIY book while those seeking a garden-based graphic novel will certainly love Mighty Jack by Hatke.
February 25, 2020
Join some garden gnomes as they learn how to grow their first vegetable garden, learning how to plant, care for, and determine the best environment for their plants while also exploring some secrets of the gnome gardening school.
A creative way to teach kids and teens how to start their own vegetable garden. The graphic novel gives specific instructions for how to make a container garden to, make your own compost, make your own potting soil, and other very helpful growing tips. All this is wrapped up in an imaginative gnome school with characters who are obsessed with comics that they read while plants are busy growing, finding out what a mysterious item unlocks at the school, and solving an issue with a teacher going a bit sinister. It was very readable and entertaining as well as being highly informative. Highly recommended for kids and teens who want to start growing their own plants but have zero experience with gardening.
Notes on content [based on ARC]: One scene with a battle between a fantasy creature and a carnivorous plant with only the plant injured.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A creative way to teach kids and teens how to start their own vegetable garden. The graphic novel gives specific instructions for how to make a container garden to, make your own compost, make your own potting soil, and other very helpful growing tips. All this is wrapped up in an imaginative gnome school with characters who are obsessed with comics that they read while plants are busy growing, finding out what a mysterious item unlocks at the school, and solving an issue with a teacher going a bit sinister. It was very readable and entertaining as well as being highly informative. Highly recommended for kids and teens who want to start growing their own plants but have zero experience with gardening.
Notes on content [based on ARC]: One scene with a battle between a fantasy creature and a carnivorous plant with only the plant injured.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2020
Non-fiction graphic novel. This graphic novel sets out to introduce gardening skills, projects, and organic practices. It is set in a fantasy world inhabited by comic-book loving gnomes. It has a lot of good information, but I think the text is quite dense for younger readers and other readers may be put off by the story going on alongside the information. Personally I think this would have been more successful as a straight non-fiction graphic novel. I did learn some things though, and that's coming from someone who has grown vegetables for several years.
August 4, 2025
Engaging and accessible! There’s a plot to go along with the tutorials. A book targeted towards kids, but one an adult can enjoy and feel empowered by. I recommend adults new to a subject read a kids book on it.
One of the most memorable things I learned is what potting soil actually is and how to make it. Also that there is a lot of science, complexity, timing, and accuracy to growing plants.
Simultaneously I am empowered to do these projects myself and overwhelmed by how much mental effort it would take.
One of the most memorable things I learned is what potting soil actually is and how to make it. Also that there is a lot of science, complexity, timing, and accuracy to growing plants.
Simultaneously I am empowered to do these projects myself and overwhelmed by how much mental effort it would take.
August 20, 2020
Great beginner gardening book! Nice directions for a variety of things like newspaper pots for starter plants, container gardens and compost barrels. Actually learned some new vocab like geotropic and determinate vs indeterminate.
February 7, 2022
This was such a great read!! I definitely learned a lot about gardening in a fun way! I started reading it with my 8 year old and then finished the book on my own. Now I want to read the rest of the series!
October 8, 2025
I don’t know much about gardening, so I really learned quite a bit from this book! The how-to sections are very helpful for kids and adults alike, and it was neat how the author was able to tie it into a central storyline throughout to keep kids interested, too.
Want to read
February 9, 2020Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
January 27, 2021
So fun to read. The story is engaging and the activities are doable.
June 9, 2022
This book was so cute! We have a garden so I knew the information included but I really loved the format of how they laid out the information in such a neat way. Definitely would suggest this book!
February 11, 2023
Godd book for kids! Its so educational and it teaches kids how to make a garden!
May 28, 2025
cuteee!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews