Description A Little Seed's Journey Out Into the World This picture book beautifully illustrates the journey of a tiny seed as it sprouts, grows, and finally blooms into a lovely flower. The adventure begins the moment the seeds leave their mother plant. Some are dug up and scattered by hungry insects, while others are swept away by flowing water. Even the lucky seeds that land safely on the ground must then endure a long, cold winter. What will this tiny seed become? Through the cold winter, the seed lies dreaming in the dark earth below. It endures the long winter, and with the help of rain and sunshine, finally pushes up through the soil as a young sprout. As children read this book, they'll be able to feel just how long and hard the little seed worked to make this happen. Inside the Book This little sprout grows up and bursts into a beautiful balsam flower. After the flower fades, it forms a fruit, and inside the fruit hanging in clusters, seeds hide snugly away. On an autumn day when the seeds have ripened, the fruit shrivels up and suddenly pops open, sending the seeds flying out with great energy. In this way, a single balsam seed creates countless new seeds, striving to bloom into even more flowers. Publisher's Review This book begins by asking, "What does a seed want to become?" "Does it want to become a flower? Or a tree?" The little seed lies waiting in the ground through the long, cold winter. Before long, spring rain melts the frozen earth, and warm sunlight begins to warm the soil. From that moment, the seed slowly begins to change. Its hard outer shell softens and swells, then suddenly bursts open as a white root wriggles its way out. At last, a young sprout breaks through the soil. This book tells the story of life sprouting and growing through calm, simple text, while the illustrations richly expand on what the restrained words leave unsaid. The underground world where the seed curls up is portrayed with a different feeling in every scene — the cold, the rain, and the sunlight seeping into the earth each create their own distinct mood. Above all, the seed is drawn with such vivid life that children can feel its struggle and determination as if it were their own. The illustrator, who had long admired picture books from afar before finally creating this, their first one, captures the drama of a little seed intertwined with earth, sunlight, and rain through richly emotional artwork. The unique charm of these illustrations offers a feeling unlike anything found in any other picture book.