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Wednesday, June 29, 2022

A Seed Grows, by Antoinette Portis. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 2022. $24.99 ages 3 and up


"and the seed 

sprouts 

and 

pushes 

into the open air "

Oh, to be a very young child today and have the great good luck to share books by Ms. Portis! In this new book that focuses on seed growth, readers will see first-hand the life cycle of a sunflower. The verso tells the story in simple steps, while the recto displays an image that demonstrates the action. 

That action moves forward from page to page, helping readers see that the seed needs soil, sun, and rain to establish itself and continue to grow ... and grow ... and grow! At just exactly the right time, readers lift a flap upwards to see the full glory of the marvelous flower that will soon fill with seeds. Then, the cycle can begin again. 

The text flows seamlessly, and makes for an enjoyable read with little ones. As they watch birds find the seeds, take them to their nest, and drop yet another one, they know that they can return to the beginning of the book and replay the action all over again. 

Back matter provides a clear look at the steps in the plant's life cycle, as well as a set of facts about the sunflower itself: parts of a sunflower seed, what the seed needs to sprout, and parts of a sunflower plant. A list of resources encourages further exploration.  Perfect! 


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