A Seed Is the Start (National Geographic Kids)

Gr 1-3--Engaging text and crisp nature photography capture the surprisingly dynamic journey of seeds as they grow, travel, sprout, and trigger the cycle anew. Action verbs are abound as seeds "fly," "float," "pop," and even "ride, to name a few. Stewart weaves fascinating facts about specific plants into a cohesive and sequential narrative that covers each step of the life cycle. The photographs are bright and vivid, supporting the flow of text and expanding upon the broader context of the content. A blurb about how seeds float away to new places ("Cottonwood trees grow near rivers and lakes. Their tiny, fluff-covered seeds land on the water and travel to new places.") makes a visual connection for the reader through an accompanying photo of a duckling swimming along a lake. Ample, legible typeface, along with arrows and other indicators, make for an intuitive reading experience. An illustrated glossary greets readers at the front of the book, defining six key words; an index, selection of books, and a website for further reading are found at the end. VERDICT An appealing and informative take on the subject of seeds and the beginning of plant life; recommended for most elementary science collections.--Erin Douglass, Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library

In a brightly photographed primer about how seeds travel, grow, and thrive as plants, Stewart (Feathers: Not Just for Flying) begins with a corn seed. A cross-section of ground shows the seed as it splits open, its roots push down, a shoot pokes out of the soil, and the corn plant sprouts leaves. Stewart presents other types of seeds, using playful verbs to describe the way they move away from their parent plants. Some seeds "fly" on the wind; others "tumble" across land or "spill," like those from the poppy plant. Cottonwood seeds "float" on water, and some even "creep," like that of the blue cornflower: "On humid days, the bristles swell. Thanks to these tiny movements, the seed slowly creeps across the ground." A section discusses how some seeds travel inside the bodies of animals and are dispersed through digestion: "A few days later, the deer poops out the seeds far away from the parent plant." Stewart offers an inviting and visually compelling introduction to an essential concept. Ages 6-9. (Feb.)