What will grow? by Jennifer Ward

Ill. by Susie Ghahremarni. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781681190303
(Age: 3+) Recommended. Gardening. Natural world. Flora. Seeds. A book about seeds which allows children to understand that each seed has the promise of something else, is beautifully illustrated by Susie Ghehremani, showing in bright pared-back illustrations the habitat of each seed and the animal which will be found in its vicinity. In this way children can focus on the seeds, animal and habitat appropriate to the growing plant, adding to their knowledge of the world around them.
Each double page represents one seed and in rhyming couplet gives words that describe that seed or its habitat, and shows it and its plant. So the first page shows round peas, then a pea plant replete with seed pods showing clearly the peas inside. Over the page is a pair of rabbits and small thin shaped seeds in the ground, producing lettuce which the rabbits will adore. This page as with several others requires the reader to lift a flap to revel the grown plant. In this way the reader is introduced to a dandelion, tomato, oak tree, apple tree and pumpkin amongst other vegetables and fruits. The lift-the-flap will intrigue younger readers, especially when the flap opens different ways to adjust to the plant being presented. The last several pages shows what happens beneath the top soil, and the last double page gives an overview of the seeds presented in the book, while the last double page of all shows the seeds from germination to plant to seed, engaging the younger reader in the process of germination.
This would be a great introduction to a group of children about to embark on growing things for themselves or setting up a class garden.
Fran Knight