Prunella - by Beth Ferry (Hardcover)

About the Book

Born with a purple thumb, Prunella prefers her to cultivate her strange, noxious garden over the company of people until a little boy visits and admires her prickly plants.

Book Synopsis

Five starred reviews!

From New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry comes a fantastical and unforgettable picture book about an unusual girl whose purple thumb helps her cultivate a truly macabre garden.

When Prunella is born with a purple thumb instead of a green one like her parents, everyone's stumped. What could it mean? Before long, they find out. Prunella prefers corpse flowers to carnations, fungi to ferns, and poison ivy to petunias. The stickier and scarier the plant, the more Prunella loves it.

And if her poisonous and noxious garden keeps the other neighborhood kids away, it's probably for the best. But then one day, a curious weed of a different sort pops up...

Should prickly Prunella uproot this tentative new friendship or allow it to flower?

Review Quotes

*A Bank Street Best Book of 2025*
*A July/August 2024 Indie Next Pick*
*A Maine Chickadee Award Nominee*

★ "This is not only a unique story with a strong message, but the spotlight on lesser-appreciated plants makes this book a must-buy."--School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

★ "Ferry's warm-voiced text is filled with botanic metaphors while Keane's dusky, blue-smudged palette strikes a tone of blooming shadows without verging too far into gloominess. Front and back matter list and describe Prunella's favorite plants, making the book a strong recommendation for any blossoming purple-thumbed readers as well as children needing reassurance that whatever they love, someone else will love it--and them--too."--Shelf Awareness, STARRED REVIEW

★ "Couple Beth Ferry's clever wordplay with Claire Keane's detailed illustrations, and you've got a book that is sure to resonate with young readers, especially those who have ever felt they didn't fit in."--BookPage, STARRED REVIEW

"Prunella is delightful as a grumpy but confident protagonist, knowing what she likes and unwilling to give her passion up just to fit in, while the neighbor kid's wide-eyed enthusiasm is absolutely infectious. Dialogue in speech bubbles complements the narrative text, adding both emotion and explanation along with the actual plant names and characteristics....Aspiring botanists will find this utterly irresistible..."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

★ "This delightful picture book cleverly shows how good things grow by following your interests and cultivating genuine connections."--Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

"Grounded in both nature and nurture: a tale sure to affirm the nonconformist's spirit."--Kirkus Reviews

★ "Alliterative prose by Ferry (The Christmassy Cactus) and digital artwork by Keane (Make Way), rendered in luxuriant, jewel-toned colors and balletic, inky lines, prove as lovely as a warted puffball as they chronicle Prunella's journey from isolation to connection--the protagonist's sense of relief at finally finding her people is palpable and deeply reassuring." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

About the Author

Beth Ferry is the author of numerous picture books for children including Roar for Reading, Prunella, and the New York Times bestseller Stick and Stone. She is an avid reader who believes that any day spent with a book is a perfect day. Beth lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey where she finds inspiration in the salty air. In addition to writing picture books, Beth also writes chapter books and graphic novels. She's the author of the middle grade book Growing Home. You can learn more at BethFerry.com.

Claire Keane studied graphic design at École Supérieure d'Arts Graphiques in Paris, France, where she lived for eight years, until she moved to Los Angeles to work at Walt Disney Animation Studios. During her ten-year tenure there, she designed for Tangled, Frozen, Enchanted, and other films. In 2013, she left to dedicate her time to creating her own stories and to work on various book and animation collaborations at her studio in Venice Beach, California. Now, she is the author and illustrator of many books for kids, including Once Upon a Cloud, Love Is, Why?, and Prunella.