The Tiny Seed (Aladdin Picture Books) (Paperback)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "It is Autumn..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This picture book admirably conveys the miracle of a seed. Flower pods burst and dispatch their seeds on the wind; the air-borne seeds are subject to myriad disasters; and the ones that make it through the perils of the seasons to become mature flowering plants are still susceptible to being picked, trod upon and otherwise damaged. But nature allows for survivors, and so the tiny seed grows into a giant flower, releasing its seeds and continuing the cycle. As he has demonstrated with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other books, Carle has an extraordinary kinship with nature. Here we have not just the explanation of the life of a flower, but drama, lessons of life and a lovely spirituality. This is a reissue of the original 1970 edition, with expanded, expansive collage illustrations. The pages, like the seed pods, burst with color. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

In autumn, a strong wind blows flower seeds high in the air and carries them far across the land. One by one, many of the seeds are lost -- burned by the sun, fallen into the ocean, eaten by a bird. But some survive the long winter and, come spring, sprout into plants, facing new dangers -- trampled by playing children, picked as a gift for a friend. Soon only the tiniest seed remains, growing into a giant flower and, when autumn returns, sending its own seeds into the wind to start the process over again.

Eric Carle's eloquent text and brilliant collages turn the simple life cycle of a plant into an exciting story, a nature lesson, and an inspiring message of the importance of perseverance.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689842449
• ISBN-13: 978-0689842443
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 7.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #490,894 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Tiny Seed, March 29, 2000

By	Mandy (Tennessee, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tiny Seed (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful story about the life cycle of a seed. I used this book in my unit on plants for my 2nd grade class. It is a wonderful tool for a lesson on the beginning of a plant's life. Your students will love looking at the wonderful illustrations that reinforce the story. I highly recommend this piece of quality literature and all of Eric Carle's books for your child or classroom.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not the best for intended age group, July 24, 2005

By	waldorf_curric - See all my reviews

I think this book is fine, but not for the preschool crowd. I would use it with older children -- elementary age -- to discuss the life cycle of an annual, the role of the seasons, and the challenges of reproduction which must be overcome by all plants. The Tiny Seed introduces us to many of the hazards faced by seeds and seedlings as they attempt to grow (from falling in water and drowning, being eaten by birds or mice, being overshadowed by large weeds, being stepped on by children, and more) and shows how the ideal environment is a necessity. It covers the role of sunshine and rain, how the seed swells and bursts open, how the plant develops as it grows, and how it produces and disperses its seeds to carry on the next generation. It's not a book for small children, though, since its mostly non-fiction tone is dry, the phrases are stilted, and it doesn't read aloud well. I find it difficult to "cheer on" the tiny seed; where others see him as a hero facing difficult odds, I think the book is too grimly determined to be educational and becomes boring for the youngest child. If you want a book to introduce a unit on seed dispersal, this is the one. If you want to talk with your three year old about the cycle of the seasons, you'd be better off with the Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter collection by Gerda Muller.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for VERY specific type of child, August 16, 2007

By	S. Barnes "C's mommy" (Va. Beach, VA) - See all my reviews

My son has been fascinated with this book. He understands so much more than I gave him credit for. He's only 2.5 years old, but he's EXTREMELY verbal and very bright when it comes to books. However, I agree with the english teacher/mommy that it is NOT for the average toddler. I think a bright preschooler or for the child who is fascinated with plants and flowers, it is quite appropriate. I can see an OLDER child in first, second or third grade getting more out of it science wise, but that doesn't mean that a toddler can't enjoy it. I remember reading books and understanding more and more of the details as I got older, which made it a "new" book for me with each passing year, if that makes sense. I re-discovered the story or read it in a new way with more life experience with which to process it. So with that in mind, I think it's a terrific book overall. I do not find it at all disturbing that a seed should drown or burn up. It's a fact of life that seeds don't all survive. If you think of it in terms of humans, sure it's disturbing, but I think that's a paralell that cannot and will not be drawn by a toddler, preschooler or even a young elementary school child. In my view, the English teacher is reading too much into that and reading the book from the viewpoint of an adult with a whole lot more life experience. HOWEVER, I totally agree that the book ends abruptly, which is why I add my own ending when I read it to my child which goes something like this, "and off the seeds sail in the wind to hopefully become beautiful plants and flowers NEXT spring. The end." I'm kind of surprised nobody told Eric Carle or his publisher that the ending was too abrupt. But it's not a big deal. Eric Carle's biggest hits with my son have been "Head to Toe", "The Very Hungry Catepillar," and "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," as well as this title. The rest have been a flop. Luckily we check them out at the library and do a test run on them first. :)