Seed, Soil, Sun

October 4, 2010
For kids who think food comes from the supermarket, this direct guide to how plants grow should set them straight: "When you eat lettuce, you are eating a leaf. When you eat celery, you are eating a stem." Peterson explains how most food comes from seeds, which—thanks to nutrients from soil and energy from the sun—grow into fruits and vegetables. Lundquist's color photographs (many of which feature children getting in on the action of planting, harvesting, and eating) may have kids considering an attempt at growing their own food. Ages 4–7.

November 1, 2010

Gr 1-3-This introduction to how seeds become food is a standout in a widely covered field. Clearly written in simple language, the narrative is often poetic as the growth of seeds planted in soil, watered by rain, and powered by the sun is explained. The photographs throughout are crisp and vibrant. The close-ups are stunning, from the fragile-looking leaf breaking through impenetrable-looking dirt clods to the fuzzy hairs of brand-new leaves, backlit by the sun. The transformation of a corn seed that can be held between a child's fingers into a mature plant that the child needs to stand on a step ladder to reach is succinctly accomplished in one paragraph and three photographs. The partnership of farmers and seeds, soil and sun is highlighted in this accessible explanation of this agricultural cycle.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
Peterson, a Wisconsin dairy farmer, adds another title to a barnful of agricultural nonfiction for kids. The unadorned narrative describes the effects of rain, sunshine and the teeming microorganisms in soil on germination and growth. "Part of the seed—the root—grows down into the soil. Another part of the seed—the shoot—reaches for the sun." Earthworms get their due praise for "eating debris and discharging it as a rich natural fertilizer called castings." Lundquist, a corporate photographer specializing in agricultural co-ops, supplies ample pictures that, while clear and colorful, sometimes look stock. In contrast, a spring cornfield looks muzzy, almost pointillist—out of sync with other photos. Corn—the staple of Midwest monoculture—supplies much of the verbal and pictorial fodder, and feedlot cows garner a couple of photo ops because they eat plants. A sturdy addition for its graceful language and cheery pictures, but its mind-set is more Big Ag than Michael Pollan. (further reading, sources) (Nonfiction. 5-8)

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November 1, 2010
Grades K-3 After establishing that most of our food comes from seeds that grow with the help of soil and sunlight, this straightforward book talks a little about each element in the title, how it relates to the growing plant, and how photosynthesis allows the plant to make energy. The last few pages tell how we consume the plants stored energy as food: When you eat lettuce, you are eating a leaf. When you eat celery, you are eating a stem, and so on. The book concludes with a short source bibliography and a good recommended-reading list. The simple, direct text is well matched with the clear color photos that illustrate the book. Posed photos of children holding plants, earthworms, soil, and foods are interspersed with equally well-composed, well-lit pictures of growing plants and other scenes of farm life. A good starting place for learning about the process by which seeds grow into the foods we eat.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)