How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree

by Stefanie Gamarra, Mark Bertrán (illustrator)

Join Amelia and her best friend, Paco the polar bear, on a tooth-aching adventure in a world where cotton candy clouds and ice cream slides are just the beginning. When they are almost running out of their favorite treat, marshmallows, Amelia's wild imagination leads the friends to an a marshmallow tree!But can you really grow a tree from a marshmallow?With a dash of school knowledge, a sprinkle of sugar, and some really bad dentist jokes, Amelia and Paco are determined to find out.

Genres: Childrens

26 pages, Paperback

Published November 14, 2023

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute picture book with some imagination.

[Elizabeth Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I along with kids who are 4 and 7 absolutely loved it. I’ve read it to them twice tonight before bed. It teaches team work, persistence, and the power of friendship and love.

[Corinne Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story! Fun and quirky and I can see the elementary school marshmallow projects just by reading. It would be a great addition to the classroom for both art class and even as a transition into learning about plants and their growth needs. I'd like to know the backstory on how a little girl and a polar bear became such close friends!

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet fun story
Looking at the last marshmallow in their packet, Amelia and her polar bear Paco (mostly Amelia) have an idea - to grow a marshmallow tree. This brings them to a cool adventure.
Lovely reading for both adults and children and sweet illustrations.

[Carol Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amelia and Paco book adventure, they set put to grow a Marshmallow tree- following their dreams. This book will get lots of read time with my grandchildren as they loved it as I read the story to them. A great story for children, characters well developed, and the book holds a child's interest! I'd highly recommend this book to others!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lexy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book to read with younger elementary students.
This book is about a girl on an imaginary journey with her pet polar bear.
They decide they love marshmallows, only have one left, and the way to get more is to plant a marshmallow tree. They go through the steps of how to make a tree grow and what a plant needs to survive and thrive.
The end of the book also included a little snippet of information about the marsh mallow plant.

This book would go great in a unit about the life cycle of a plant. While they discuss how a plant starts as a seed, they can discuss how a marshmallow is not a seed, and figure out how could you make a marshmallow. This could expand into learning what other foods are made of, the different ingredients in foods, and the difference between processed foods and natural foods. There are a lot of avenues to take with the imagination in this book. This book would be fun to explore in a small group setting or as a whole group as most younger students this is aimed towards would not be able to read this book independently.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced e-reader copy of this book.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia and her friend Paco, a polar bear, love 'chasing cotton candy clouds and sliding down slippery ice cream slides'. They especially enjoy marshmallows, so they're upset when they run out of them. Amelia suggests that they plant a marshmallow tree, but they have trouble when it won't grow...

This is a great story to read to any child, with bright, colourful pictures. There is an educational aspect to it, as well. I highly reommend this for parents of young children, with one proviso - polar bears are not cute and cuddly creatures like Paco!

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Marichus Real · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny story about two friends Amelia and Paco who like marshmallows so much that they decided to plant the last one they have so they would have a marshmallow tree.
It was fun to see all their efforts to take care of the marshmallow buried in the soil.
I liked the lesson of this story “You could do anything if you put your mind to it.”
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cute and lovely story!

I read the book with my 6 year old daughter at bedtime last night and she loved it.

She is a massive fan of marshmallows so that probably also helped!

We loved the characters and it was a fun read.

She read the book to me with no issues – some great family time

It is 5 stars from us – very highly recommended!

[Cynthia Witty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, sticky adventure

A fun adventure for young readers to learn the planting process and how to use their minds to create an adventure. The illustrations are kid-friendly and bring to book to life. I highly recommend.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me and my children read this book. With all the characters within. It's about a girl and her polar bear and how they get a marshmallow to grow into a tree.

This was a fun story to read. It had action and adventure throughout. It had a few giggles within. The illustrations went well with the story. And were colorful too.


I received a complimentary copy via Booksprout. This is my honest unbiased opinions.

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

another cute book

Another cute book to be given to the sweet family from church. While a bit fanciful, there was a good fact at the end.

[NrsKelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I homeschool my 5 year old and we had just finished Learning about growing plants in science. This book was a super cute way to talk again about what all plants need to grow and thrive. He liked the fact that it was make believe and laughed at the idea of a marshmallow tree!

[Paula Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read

This book was very good and informative and helped my attention from the beginning to the end. I’m looking forward for more growing tips.

[Shantrellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story

It is easy to read. Super fun story, especially if your kids love marshmallows! Can't wait for the next adventure.

[Maha Kadafour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative and fun

Really enjoyed this story! The illustrations really added to it too. I wish there really were trees with fluffy treats!

[Kierra S. Jones-Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love children books that involve imagination. Imagination with the combination for the love of sweet how could you not like it?

[Cheyenne Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute story

Cute story about friends and imagination. Amelia and Paco have a lot of adventures, there is some learning to be found in each one.
Loved the factoid at the end too

[Imran Waheed · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved this book. It's a short story with a lot of imagination, and passion. Highly recommend it.
PS. I received the book as a review copy via Goodreads.

[Kameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.



Amelia and Paco, the polar bear, have the most delicious dreams about cotton candy clouds and ice cream slides. Their sweet tooth is not just present during sleepytime; they also crave sweet treats during waking hours. One day, while enjoying a sugary snack, they noticed a big problem: only one marshmallow remained in the bag. What to do?

Amelia shares with Paco what she learned in school about apple trees. A tree full of apples will grow if you plant an apple seed. With that thought in mind, Amelia has the bright idea to grow a marshmallow tree by planting the last marshmallow from the bag. I like how she thinks, and I’m sure many children will like it, too!

Paco was skeptical, with good reason. Who has ever heard of growing a marshmallow tree? Was it even possible? Instead of squashing his best friend’s dream, Paco supported his best friend’s unconventional idea. As Maya’s marshmallow refused to sprout life, she brainstormed the problem. Was it thirsty? Hungry? Amelia’s ingenuity, patience, determination, love, and attention paid off. Marshmallows grew in huge numbers!

Many theories and invention ideas were deemed impossible, weird, or crazy yet proved useful or lucrative, such as Silly Putty (inventor wildly disputed) and The Pet Rock by Gary Dahl. Yes, we all know that you can’t technically grow a marshmallow tree by burying a marshmallow in the ground, but that’s not the point of the story. The picture book teaches children to follow their dreams. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. With hard work and determination, you might make the impossible…probable.

I highly recommend reading this story as you snack on a bag of marshmallows. If you feel silly, plant the last one in honor of Amelia and the author.

(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready for a sugar-coated escapade, my fellow munchkins, because How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree is the dessert-themed adventure we all need! Picture this: Amelia and her partner in crime, Paco the polar bear, are on a marshmallow mission to beat the shortage blues. And guess what? They're not just dreaming of more marshmallows – they're planning to grow a whole darn tree of 'em! With a sprinkle of school smarts, a dash of sugar, and some dentist jokes that'll make you giggle, Amelia and Paco take you on a wild ride. This book is not just a treat for the taste buds but a feast for the imagination – it's like a marshmallow-flavored dream that'll have you craving both sweets and sweet adventures. If you want a story that's as fluffy and fun as a marshmallow cloud, How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree is your golden ticket to the sugar-coated wonderland!

[RusticRabbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really cute! I am a pre-service teacher about to graduate and I would use this book to get students interested in a science unit about plants. Sure, it is not realistic, but it could get students interested in things growing and introduce experiments related to plant growth. I would probably use this for children and students in grades kindergarten through second, with help with certain words/phrases to understand puns and word combinations. There is also some figurative language that would be useful for introducing the basic concepts of them, like a basic simile. The illustrations are very cute and engaging.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bridget And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story time pick for the grandkids

If you're looking for a book that's as sweet as it is meaningful, “How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree" is it! My grandkids can't get enough of the story about Amelia and her polar bear friend Paco trying to grow a tree that sprouts marshmallows. Not only is it a fun read, but the pictures are so pretty to look at – full of bright colors and cute details.

The book teaches a big lesson about not giving up, even when your dreams seem a little out there. Definitely a five-star pick for storytime!

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree, readers are treated to a delightful children's book that sparks the imagination and sweetens the soul. Amelia and her lovable sidekick, Paco the polar bear, embark on a whimsical adventure to solve the shortage of marshmallows. The story is a perfect blend of creativity and friendship as they explore the possibility of growing a marshmallow tree. Filled with humor, sugar, and a sprinkle of school knowledge, this charming tale not only entertains but also encourages young minds to embrace imagination and think outside the marshmallow box.

[tburbr · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was a cute story with illustrations to match. This was a fun read, however I had to explain why my toddler niece could not grow a marshmallow tree which means I had to explain to her reality versus fantasy. Some things are just not possible,no matter how much you put your mind to and kids should have some reality and not just fantasy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Courtney Franchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

another cute book I read to my son. amelia and paco run out of marshmallows to share and have the brilliant idea to plant the last marshmallow to grow a tree. they try different methods and finally find one that works. I liked the fun fact at the end to give it a touch of education (although my son is 5.5 months and has no idea what’s happening in this book, I still love books that have actual bits of knowledge - and I learn something new too!😅)

[Melli Propelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree' seamlessly blends charm with humor as it follows the two main characters' attempts to grow their own tree from a single marshmallow. A story that reminds us of the power of imagination and the magic kids find in everyday wonders—and the lengths one goes to satisfy a sweet tooth. A must-read for dreamers of all ages.

I loved it.

[Kayla Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to grow a marshmallow tree is so cute, I'm going to need this in Hardcopy, my daughter loved it and it has a beautiful message :).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura DeGrave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia and Paco love sweets as much as I do.
A dilemma strikes when they're down to the last marshmallow in the bag.
How can they get more sweets?
Do marshmallows grow like seeds?
A sweet hidden message of being patient while things grow.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Grow a Marshmallow Tree by Stefanie Gamarra and Mark Bertran – I think it’s very unfair that I didn’t have a polar bear friend as a child! Happy Reading!