kamel622's Full Review: Jean Marzollo - I'm a Seed
In preparing for a workshop that my daughter and I were presenting at a recent childcare conference I developed a booklist of recommended children’s books for each month of the year. One of the books that fit great in to May was I’m a Seed by Jean Marzollo.
The Story & Illustrations
This cute colorful story starts with a bunny hopping on green grass, the sun shining and the bottom half of the page is brown so we realize we are seeing under the earth. There is a seed on each page with the seed on the right hand side a bit larger than the other.
The two seeds are discussing what they are and what they’ll grow up to be. The seed on the left side says he will be a marigold, so the seed on the right side page says he’ll be a marigold too. The marigold seed takes exception to this claim.
No, you’re not.
Why not?
Because you’re a different kind of seed.
What kind of seed am I?
The two go back and forth with this discussion as they grow, sprout through the earth with different types of leaves and finally flowers as well.
The marigolds flowers reach up toward the sun while the other seeds flowers hide under its big hairy leaves. Eventually we see the marigolds big yellow and orange flowers and the other seeds big orange pumpkins!
The two discuss that there should be a name for all that they have gone through and decide that what it is called is life.
The illustrations have an almost 3D look to them. They appear to be collage with layered paper to create depth to pages. The text is a very large bold black font that is placed within a pale green box to make seeing it very easy either for a caregiver holding the book up or for early readers.
Our Feelings
This is a fun book that takes a very simple concept, seeds growing, and makes it interesting fun and a great science lesson too. We get to read about the ways things are the same and the ways they are different too.
I first read this book to 6 year old Jake and his 7 year old sister Sammi. They both enjoyed it and had fun trying to guess what the pumpkin seed was. They were excited when they saw the pumpkins and realized what it grown in to.
Sammi then sat and read the book herself, several times. It is a Level 1 reader so is great for children just beginning to read. The sentences are short and run from two words and up to as many as sixteen on a page but they are repetitive and easy words for young children.
Next I read it to 3 year old Cindy and 4 year old Sonny and both of them just loved hearing this book and asked for it again and again. Both were a bit surprised that two seeds could grow different things.
The pages in this book are thicker than regular paper, but not as thick as a board book would be. Even though this is a library book I felt comfortable letting Cindy read it on her own without fear of her tearing the pages.
I like that this book has a bit of information on the first page about reading aloud to children, with suggestions to ham it up, answer questions, examine illustrations and run your finger under the text.
There are also suggestions for listening to your child read out loud, such as giving them the word if the child asks for it … DO NOT (their caps) ask them to sound out the word unless they’ve attempted to sound it out themselves. Encourage them to reread a sentence if the word they’ve used doesn’t make sense such as horse for house and above all give praise generously!
The illustrations are wonderful and have a very real look to them and yet they are not photographs. I’m not sure of the method of the illustrations but do love how each of the two page spreads compare the things that are happening with the seeds as they grow. The illustrations bring to life the changes that happen and way two very similar things can grow to be very different.
I very highly recommend this book and plan to check out more from this series with titles such as I’m a Caterpillar, I Am Water and I Am an Apple because I feel this style of teaching and sharing really encourages children’s curiosity while teaching them in a delightful way.
This book is recommended for children from 3 – 6 years old, but I believe the beautiful illustrations would hold a 2 year olds attention and since 7 year old Sammi loved this book I think it can be used for children of 7 or 8 years as well.
Nuts & Bolts
I’m a Seed was written by Jean Marzollo and illustrated by Judith Moffatt.
Cartwheel, a division of Scholastic Inc. published this 32 page paperback book in 1996 as a part of their Hello Reader Level 1 book series.
Muze: Copyright 1995 - 2008 Muze Inc. For personal non-commercial use only. All rights reserved.
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