Sprout, Seed, Sprout!

by Annika Dunklee, Carey Sookocheff (Illustrator)

Overview

One day, when a boy sees his dad cut an avocado in half, he decides to plant the fruit’s seed and grow it into…an avocado tree! One glass of water, two careful hands, and three pointy toothpicks later, it’s time to wait…and wait…and wait…for it to grow.



At long last, the boy and his faithful pet cat see one root, two roots, three roots emerge! Three scoops of soil, three sprinkles of water, and a lot more waiting…lead to one sturdy stem, two clapping hands, and three grateful cheers. The avocado tree starts to appear! One, two, and three years later, the tree grows taller still.



This charming story is told with lots of rhythm and repetition, paired with playful illustrations full of funny details about the trials of coaxing a seed into a plant. Readers will come away with a sense that the struggle to be patient and stick it out can be worthwhile, even when a result seems impossible.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771473088
Publisher:	Owlkids Books
Publication date:	03/15/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	260L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

ANNIKA DUNKLEE is the award-winning author of many books, including A Fire Truck for Chuck. She has eaten plenty of avocado, in hopes of getting a seed which would finally sprout. She currently resides in Toronto, Ontario with her family.

CAREY SOOKOCHEFF is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series and What Happens Next, and the author/illustrator of Solutions for Cold Feet and Other Little Problems and Wet. Her illustrations have appeared in a variety of newspapers and magazines. She lives in Toronto with her husband, two kids, and their dog.

Editorial Reviews

02/20/11

In this quiet story told in threes about being observant, patient, and thankful for small gifts, a child prepares an avocado seed to germinate, using “One glass of water. Two careful hands. Three pointy toothpicks.” As soon as he sees “One root! Two roots! Three roots!” he transfers it to a pot. Sookocheff’s spare, white, cream, and gray illustrations make the pot a focal point, emphasizing the boy’s anticipation and frustration at the tree’s slow growth. After the boy grumpily declares: “I... give... up!”, a stem breaks through. Sweetly, as the boy plants the avocado seed in the soil, he offers “three magic words: ‘I love you.’ ” Dunklee captures the special joy of seeing a personal project come to fruition. Ages 3–7. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"Sprout, Seed, Sprout! is a wonderful book for spring as gardening and greenery are on everybody’s radar."

Canadian Review of Materials

"You don't even have to leave home to become a gardener as readers will discover in Annika Dunklee's very perky picture book...wonderfully simple but engaging."

The Globe and Mail

05/31/2019

PreS-Gr 1-This book celebrates the act of bringing forth the new life held within a seed by adding water, providing sunlight and soil, and waiting patiently. Actions are described in three steps, three-word phrases are used, and words are often repeated three times. The narrative begins when a young boy retrieves an avocado pit that squirts away from his father. When the child pokes the seed with toothpicks and places it at the top of a glass of water, the action is simply described: "One glass of water. Two careful hands. Three pointy toothpicks. Poke. Poke. Poke." When nothing seems to be happening after the seed is transplanted, the boy undertakes "three drastic measures": he sings to the seed, he plants two lucky coins near it, and he brings three supportive friends to stand guard (his cat and two toys). The story ends with the avocado tree at three years old. The storytelling is gentle, and the palette is muted, dominated by large white spaces and blues and greens with splashes of terra-cotta. VERDICT With its subtle repetition of words and its focus on the concepts of one, two, and three, this is a delightful teaching book for young children who love nature.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA

School Library Journal

2019-01-15

A young child experiences the work, waiting, and reward of growing an avocado tree from seed.

In fewer than 150 words, Dunklee traces the path from seed to tree. When an avocado seed pops free during dinner prep, a smiling child retrieves it, pokes it with toothpicks for supports, and sets it atop a glass of water in hopes that it will sprout. The child and a pet cat work side by side to nurture the new plant. Each double-page spread captures one step in the journey that includes both the practical (potting, watering, ensuring sunlight, and replanting outside) and the whimsical (an encouraging song, lucky coins, and "supportive friends"). Counting to three creates the gentle rhythm of the story. Actions are often completed in three steps and described in three words: "One pot. Two careful hands. Three scoops of soil. Pat, pat, pat." Similarly, three words, sometimes repeated, emphasize key emotions, as "I…GIVE…UP!" gives way to "HOORAY! HOORAY! HOORAY!" Simple illustrations, primarily in soft shades of blue, yellow, and avocado, show steps that readers could duplicate at home. The cat's attention (or inattention) adds humor; its glowering inclusion with a stuffed bunny and toy robot as one of the "supportive friends" is particularly funny. The child and their parent present white.

This quiet book effectively describes the meditative, sometimes-frustrating process that growing a plant entails. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews

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