How Do Babies Become Adults?

Grow: Secrets of Our DNA
Written by Nicola Davies & Illustrated by Emily Sutton
Age Level: 5-9 Years
Published September 1, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of 2020

Your little one won’t be the only one learning.

I love books that don't underestimate children's intelligence. Case in point is this gloriously illustrated book that clearly explains DNA.

Some things grow fast, others are slow; some things stay small, others become huge; some things don't change much over time, others utterly transform. But how does it happen? DNA, the unique genetic code that lives inside your body and inside of all living things. DNA is basically the instruction manual that is programmed into all living things and tells them how to change and grow.

“In the deep Arctic Ocean, where it’s always cold and dark, quahog clams can take over a hundred years to grow to be as big as your palm.”

In addition to making every person unique, DNA also unites us with every creature that is living or has ever lived on Earth. While our genetic code bears greater similarities to chimpanzees than to roses, there are some parts of code that are shared. The book closes with this final beautiful lesson, that although we are so different - from each other, from other living things - we are all connected, we are all related, we are all family.