Marty's mother is a hoarder and between trying to take care of himself and keep social services from finding out about her, he has a pretty tough life. And ironically few possessions of his own. For his birthday, his grandfather gives him a large mysterious seed and invites him to plant it at their community garden. Grandfather promises him that it will lead to a tremendous surprise, but for now he must wait. And so, along with his best friend Gracie (a girl with a cochlear implant who wants to become a dancer) and his granddad, they nurture the seed. And despite Granddad's reputation for being unreliable, it does indeed grow into truly something special involving giant pumpkins, sailing across the English Channel, and visiting the Eiffel Tower.
A whimsical middle grade fantasy that combines realistic issues (e.g., mental illness, disability, and neglect) with granddad's truly fantastical ideas. And while the latter events of the story are highly improbable, the story's message of going after your dreams and taking a positive view of life is sweet.
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