Allison Diehl

What's This?

A gem!

"A seed lay on the ground. One winter morning, a bird saw the seed. He flew down to have a closer look." These are the lines on the first three pages of this charming story. Soon, the seed has become a beautiful sunflower, but the tale doesn't end there. New seeds collected from this one flower provide the materials for an entire classroom to grow their own sunflowers. Using minimal text and the her signature acrylic painting style, Caroline Mockford draws us into a child's view of the natural world. By describing scientific exploration as a narrative, it is accessible to even the youngest children. Because the book is such an easy read, you may find yourself sharing it over and over. Preschoolers and kindergarteners will be old enough to explore further with the included end notes. You can read the page abbut Roots, Shoot, Flowers, and Seeds, and even grow your own sunflower.