A POCKETFUL OF SEEDS

In some of my past blog posts, I've mentioned several children's books about planting seeds: THE CARROT SEED, by Ruth Krauss; MISS RUMPHIUS, by Barbara Cooney; and JOHNNY APPLESEED, by Reeve Lindburgh. The main characters in these books are almost on a kind of "mission", as they are steadfastly committed to scattering and planting seeds in order to better their world.

I am excited to share yet another book about the planting of seeds because in this story, the "mission" of the main characters is of a spiritual nature.
A POCKETFUL OF SEEDS, by Sylvia Leontaritis, is the tale of a boy who has been separated from his family in a war-torn village, and an old monk, "Papouli", from Mt. Athos - who happens to have some seeds, provided him by the Virgin Mary. "All he brought with him was a knapsack, his prayer rope and a pocketful of seeds."

This mystical and poetic story unfolds simply enough as the monk befriends the now homeless boy and they travel together planting the seeds; but if you realize that the seeds are a metaphor for monasteries and the "fruit" they bear, it takes on a much deeper tone and meaning. (This metaphor is hinted at by small sketches of monasteries that appear almost hidden in the tranquil illustrations, done by a Russian artist at Talanton Press).

Young children ages 4 and up and their parents will enjoy this "spiritual folktale" of faith and perseverance through prayer. Information about where this book is available is on Sylvia's website: http://www.sylvialeontaritis.com/. (click on "Books")

TIME FOR GARDENS

Summer is a great time to read and learn about seeds and planting! There are some wonderful picture books out there that may inspire you and your child to start your own backyard garden...

Preschool-2nd grade
THE CARROT SEED, by Ruth Krauss - illustrations by Crockett Johnson. Children will love the simple drawings in this story about a little boy who not only plants a seed, but tends it carefully and waits patiently - even though everyone tells him, "it won't come up".
ONE BEAN, by Ann Rockwell - illustrations by Meghan Halsey. You'll want to try some of the activities at the end of this book! A look at exactly what happens to a bean as it sprouts on a wet paper towel - bright and accurate illustrations make learning about plant cycles interesting for even young children.
FROM SEED TO PUMPKIN, by Wendy Pfeffer - illustrations by James Graham Hale. Sweet watercolor-and-pencil illustrations of children planting and taking care of their pumpkins. Some simple recipes and experiments are included.
A FRUIT IS A SUITCASE FOR SEEDS, by Jean Richards - illustrations by Anca Hariton. Fun introduction to seeds, with nice watercolor pictures.


Kindergarten-3rd grade
THE LADY AND THE SPIDER, by Faith McNulty - illustrations by Bob Marstall. Spiders are NOT among my favorite things, but I couldn't resist this serene story of a lady and the green spider that lives in her lettuce patch. Learning about what goes on in a spider's daily life will help young ones (and moms), who might be squeamish about these eight-legged creatures, appreciate, instead of fear them!
A WEED IS A FLOWER: THE LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, by Aliki.
George Washington Carver learned about plants by taking care of other people's gardens. This man, who devoted his life to helping the south improve its agriculture, was born to slave parents and didn't go to college until he was 30 years old!
ALL IN A DAY, by Cynthia Rylant - illustrations by Nikki McClure. The black and white paper art cut-outs by Nikki McClure, on alternating pastel blue and yellow backgrounds, are a beautiful pairing with the quiet poetic text, written by Cynthia Rylant, about a day in the life of a boy on a farm. He not only waters his garden and gathers eggs, but picnics and naps with his pet hen.