The Tiny Seed

Title: The Tiny Seed

Author: Eric Carle

Illustrator: Eric Carle

Theme: informational book

Summary: The life cycle of a plant is examined in this story. From a group of seeds carried by the wind, including the tiny seed, to the seeds beginning to develop into plants, and finally to the full blooming of the tiny seed (the tiniest seed becomes the biggest flower) and the release of its own seeds, the story looks closely at each stage of a plant’s development and the roadblocks to plant growth. The story comes full circle, beginning and ending with tiny seeds being carried by the wind.

Characters: the tiny seed, other seeds, a bird, a mouse, two boys

Comments: This story is great because it provides detailed factual information without being boring. The language and illustrations bring the seeds and plants to life, so children remain engaged throughout the story. This is a great way to introduce a unit on plants.

Grade level: Kindergarten-Second