A Seed Is Sleepy

Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 1-4–Another contemplative look at the natural world from the pair who created An Egg Is Quiet (Chronicle, 2006). This introduction to seeds and plants uses simple sentences that will stretch children's minds and imaginations. Each spread is devoted to the seed's many attributes, including adventurous, inventive, generous, ancient, and clever. The text then builds on these descriptors with interesting facts: It knows to seek the sunlight.... The author does not shy away from words that children may be unfamiliar with; rather, she constructs sentences that define these words in terms that children can understand: Not all seeds are eager to germinate. Some have lain dormant, or slept undisturbed, for more than a thousand years. Long's ink-and-watercolor sketches, full of rich color and intricate detail, merit high praise. Readers not yet familiar with cursive writing may experience some difficulty deciphering portions of the text independently, but this book is a wonderful addition to units that focus not only on seeds and plants, but also on writing and the language arts.–Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA
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From Booklist
In this follow-up to An Egg Is Quiet (2006), the creators offer another beautifully illustrated introduction to an aspect of the natural world. This time, the topic is seeds, and once again, Long's masterful watercolors dominate each spread, which includes text on two levels. Short poetic phrases in large print, aimed at younger children, give seeds accessible, anthropomorphic qualities: "A seed is sleepy"; "A seed is adventurous." Paragraphs in smaller print, which tackle science concepts and expand on the phrases, are geared to older readers. The format, with little space devoted to text, doesn't always allow for thorough explanations, and kids will need help with many facts and terms. But the elegant watercolor pictures, which include helpful charts depicting a seed's growth into a plant, will pull children into the basic botany, while the pages filled with enticingly detailed seeds, both common and exotic, will encourage kids to wonder about the plant world's mysterious, gorgeous spectrum of possibilities. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Product Description
Award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston have teamed up again to create this gorgeous and informative introduction to seeds. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, the book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts, making it a guide that is equally at home being read on a parent's lap as in a classroom reading circle.

About the Author
Dianna Hutts Aston's previous books include An Egg Is Quiet, When You Were Born, Loony Little, and Bless This Mouse. She lives in Texas Hill Country.

Sylvia Long is the illustrator of many best-selling books for children Her previous books include An Egg Is Quiet, Sylvia Long's Mother Goose, and Snug As a Bug. She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.