Two long-time friends from Adelaide, Anthony Savas and Elias Anargyros, recently launched Sprout Story, Australia’s first plantable children’s books.
Each book features a character (Tommy the Tomato, Cara the Carrot and Leah the Lettuce) that literally grows into the vegetable after reading.
Children tear out a page, plant it, and watch the seeds sprout, blending storytelling, hands-on learning and sustainability in a way that gets kids off screens and back into the garden.
The idea was inspired by their Greek grandparents, whose backyard veggie gardens shaped their childhoods and instilled values of connection, patience and growing your own food.
“If we can help kids spend less time on screens and more time connecting with nature, we’ll have done our grandparents proud”. Photo: Supplied
“Growing up, food didn’t come from a supermarket shelf. It came from the soil. The garden was a place of learning, responsibility, respect, and connection,” they told Neos Kosmos.
“That way of life came naturally to migrants who brought traditions from the motherland to Australia. It was simply how things were done. You cared for the garden, and the garden cared for you in return.
“Anyone who’s tasted the difference knows… a yiayia-grown tomato will always beat a supermarket one.”
Sprout Story became their way of honouring that legacy in a modern, meaningful way for today’s families.
Their grandparents taught them patience, simplicity, and gratitude, so they weave those lessons into each book.
Tommy The Tomato. Photo: Supplied
“It’s not just about planting seeds; it’s about helping children understand where food comes from and fostering a genuine respect for nature from a young age,” they said.
While yiayia and papou may have inspired the idea, there was a core problem they wanted to address by creating a plantable kid’s book – screen time.
Since the COVID pandemic, screen time levels have increased and Anthony and Elias want kids to spend time outdoors, exploring and connecting with nature.
“We believe outdoor play should be encouraged, celebrated, and valued just as much as digital literacy,” they said.
“Growing up, screens weren’t part of our childhood. We were outside playing ball in the yard or in the garden with our grandparents.
“That sense of freedom, curiosity, and connection to nature stayed with us, and we wanted to bring a version of that nostalgia into today’s tech-driven world.”
They wanted to combine storytelling with nature play, allowing children to learn about gardening, and important life lessons, bringing those lessons to life in a tangible and fun way.
Sprout Story brings storytelling and sustainability together in a format designed to get kids off screens and reconnect with nature, more specifically, their gardens. Photo: Supplied
And the response has been strong, with parents and educators loving the idea.
“Many have told us it sparks conversations that continue well beyond the book itself, which is exactly what we hoped for,” they said.
“The biggest WOW moment came when a mother messaged us and said, ‘my son wrote Tommy The Tomato on the whiteboard at school’.”
The books are currently available for purchase online, with stockist opportunities now being explored by the co-founders.
A teacher guide is also being developed to support educators in incorporating it into early years curriculum across Australia.
More information can be found at the Sprout Story website.
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