Review of Botany with Friends

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Botany with Friends" by Troy Aikins.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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It is the first day of botany class. Trent, Lester, Amalia, Kaylaris, and Kurtis learn how to be young professional gardeners. The five students form a group, the Green Guardians, and, over the semester, grow like the plants they are watering. If you are interested in their plans, go read Botany with Friends by Troy Aikins.

My favourite moment from the book is the one where Trent and Kurtis hang out in the latter's living room on Saturday. They take a break from class, eat snacks, play games, reflect on their progress, and plan for the future. It is a very mundane scene, and I will not blame some readers for thinking that nothing happens in that scene, but it feels real. School buddies do interact this way in real life. How odd that my favourite moment from this botany book has little to do with botany itself.

I do not like most of the attempted humour. I am not a fan because it makes the dialogue feel stilted. Special mention goes to the teacher, Twiggums. I understand he teaches botany, but it feels unnatural to hear him sprinkle vocabulary about botany everywhere in his dialogue. No normal person says, "We’ve germinated!" when all the students enter the classroom. There are many instances where the book tries to present Twiggums as funny and quirky, like the time when he, much like a baseball announcer, narrates a group of students clearing weeds, but those instances do not land for me. If you do not know much about planting, it might be difficult to understand why Kurtis being a cabbage in a dream is funny. You will also have no idea why using wasabi spray for pest control is less effective than marigolds.

Botany with Friends appeals to gardening enthusiasts. On the other hand, if you do not like campus, biology, slice of life, or anything related to plants, you will find the story neither exciting nor relatable. I like the sense of progression when seeing the Green Guardians cultivate their own imperfect yet working garden. Extra knowledge, like pest control and greenhouse trivia, is greatly appreciated. The editing is perfect; there are no typos or grammatical errors. However, the attempted humour holds the book back. The five students are not memorable either; none of them stand out in terms of personality or actions. Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

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Botany with Friends
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[Magdalyne chebet]

"Botany with Friends" sounds like a heartwarming story about friendship, growth, and learning. I’m curious to see how the Green Guardians develop their garden and bond over the semester! Interesting review!

[Seetha E]

Botany with Friends seems to include all the elements that would attract young readers interested in gardening and botany. The themes of bonding and friendship around nature create a nice vibe! I'm interested in this light-hearted, fun-with-information type of read.

[Onyemuwa-dave]

It looks like something that would have some potential, but I don't think I am into books about gardening. Thanks for the review.

[Priya Murugesan]

I love gardening and I am very much interested in reading about 'Botany with friends'. I am also curious to check if the humor part works for me or not!

[Gerry Steen]

If this book can interest children in gardening, it has value. The information on pest control and greenhouse trivia can prove to be educational and useful. The impeccable editing is a plus. I hope the author takes your critiques into account to improve the story.

[Creole]

The camaraderie in "Botany with Friends" by Troy Aikins is genuinely inspiring. As a fellow gardener, I'm always on the lookout for tips to improve my yield. Your honest review has been invaluable.

[Kibet Hillary]

Well, it appears that apart from the humor that sounds forced, the book is interesting to read. I would not also have thought a mundane conversation that would entail planning for the future would be of much interest, but it appears the author exceeded expectations here. Thank you for the review, @Chi Chiu Michael Mak.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

Would you class this as a young adult, coming-of-age book? It sounds like the kids mature as the year goes on. I had a teacher like Twiggums, who was a science teacher who used to say silly things too, so it might be a generational thing. If the author is my age (late 50s) he may have had a teacher like that.

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

Great review! I am a gardener and have been for many years. However, you mention that the humor in the book doesn't hit its mark. I think that I will pass on this one. Thanks for the review!

[Anu Anand]

I liked how you highlighted the quiet scene between the friends. Sometimes those simple moments feel the most real. The mix of gardening tips and campus life sounds unique, even if some of the humour doesn’t always land.