Review by Booklist Review
A big-eyed bunny and his mouse friend plant a tiny garden, caring for their seeds, rain or shine, until they can enjoy their cabbage, carrot, and tomatoes. When a group of hungry birds shows up, the mouse and rabbit are unwilling to share, and their seed of selfishness grows into a heap of trouble. The tide turns when the little mouse finds an unblemished tomato and offers it to the avians. The birds return with sacks full of seeds, and the book ends with all manner of animals enjoying the fruits of an enormous garden. Nelson's sumptuous paintings are both naturalistic and expressive. The rich colors, low point of view, and realistic animal faces bring the reader right into the picture the lifelike plants are scrumptious enough to eat, and the sunny scenes glow with warmth. Though some may balk at the didactic lesson, this fable-like story with charming critters enacting a conflict that will likely be familiar to Nelson's intended audience is so gorgeously illustrated that it's a pleasure to read.--Willey, Paula Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a skillfully crafted story about the literal and allegorical fruits of the seeds we plant, Nelson (Baby Bear) introduces a group of animals whose farmyard garden becomes a source of food, strife, and reconciliation. Nelson's emphatic sentences stretch across multiple pages, underscoring the patience necessary to see seeds mature into plants: "If you plant a tomato seed,/ a carrot seed,/ and a cabbage seed,/ in time/ with love and care,/ tomato,/ carrot,/ and cabbage/ plants will grow." A small brown rabbit and an even smaller brown mouse, painted in warm realistic detail, are the devoted farmers here, and a wordless scene shows them taking their delighted first bites of produce that gleams in the midday sun. Joy shifts to alarm when five birds descend, their silent intentions very clear. A food fight, the result of a "seed of selfishness," leaves the garden in ruins, but a final sequence about the rewards of planting a "seed of kindness" culminates in an abundance of sunflowers, chard, melons, and more. Nelson adeptly balances whimsical, naturalistic, and instructional ideas to create a story that satisfies on multiple levels. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-A fuzzy, brown rabbit and a tiny notch-eared mouse plant tomato, carrot, and cabbage seeds and then wait for the plants to grow and produce. As they bide their time, the two sit in the rain, nap, and read books. Readers will notice the sky beginning to fill with birds, which the rabbit and mouse don't see until the fruits-or vegetables-of their labor are ready to eat. Then five winged creatures descend and look expectantly, in a priceless illustration, at the two farmers that try to protect their bounty from the intruders. A verbal argument and scuffle ensue until they all reach an understanding. After the seed of cooperation is planted among the seven characters, peace reigns and friendship grows. Nelson's charmingly realistic illustrations skillfully show the passage of time and humorously accurate emotions and body language. The textures shown in the fur and feathers and the small details in the large oil on canvas paintings create images for study (and framing). The message, so clearly read in the illustrations, is a universal truth-you reap what you sow and when shared with others, your joy will be magnified. VERDICT A timeless and delectable picture book choice.-Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Speaking directly to readers, an unseen narrator shows the destructive power of selfishness and compares it to the sweet fruits that grow from kindness. Nelson's approach is didactic, but his gorgeous paintings, showing a rabbit and mouse grappling with the consequences of their choices, makes this both a useful and entertaining contribution to social-emotional learning for preschoolers. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Nelson spins a gardening metaphor about kindness."If you plant a tomato seed, a carrot seed, and a cabbage seed," that's what will grow. A rabbit and a mouse garden together and delight in their harvestbut a mourning dove, crow, blue jay, cardinal and sparrow come begging. "If you plant a seed of selfishness"here Nelson depicts the gardeners refusing to share"it will grow, and grow, and grow // into a heap of trouble." A monumental food fight leaves all the combatants splattered with tomato. Amid the debris, the mouse offers possibly the last intact fruitand the birds respond with an airlift of seeds that sprout into an astonishing garden, proving that "the fruits of kindness // are very, very sweet." To this spare, fablelike text Nelson pairs stunningly cinematic oils, modulating palette and perspective to astonishing effect. The tomatoes gleam red against blue sky and green leaves, and it's easy to see why the circling birds descend in hopes of a meal. Wordless spreads convey drama and humor; a double-page close-up of all five birds depicted from the front, each head a-tilt and silhouetted against blue sky, is hysterical. The animals are slightly anthropomorphized; they read books but wear no clothes, communicating joy, dejection, anger and contentment in every bone. Though the message is as old as time, its delivery here is fresh and sweet as August corn. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
