Welcome to KidLit Gems, a coffee-style chat about favorite children’s books and the elements that make them shine.
This month’s theme: Planting Seeds
MISS MAPLE’S SEEDS
Text and Illustrations © 2013, Eliza Wheeler
Picture Book,
Fiction
Age Range:
3-5 years
Grade Level:
Preschool-Kindergarten
NANCY PAULSEN BOOKS
A division of Penguin Young Readers Group
2013 New York Times Bestseller
“Take care, my little ones,” Miss Maple says, “for the world is big and you are small.” ~ Miss Maple’s Seeds
In Miss Maple’s Seeds, a sweet caretaker gathers lost and forgotten seeds, tenderly cares for them through the winter, and prepares them to set off on their own in the spring. Parents will certainly catch the poignancy here. Young readers will love the illustration details showing how Miss Maple treasures each and every seed, and will turn the last page dreaming of their own marvelous futures. I ‘sneak’ this book into my science class under the guise of introducing seed variety and dispersal, and my first graders adore Miss Maple’s Seeds as much as I do. Bravo, Eliza Wheeler!
~ Lou
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“. . . even the grandest of trees once had to grow up from the smallest of seeds.” ~ Miss Maple’s Seeds
Throughout Miss Maple’s Seeds, Eliza Wheeler gently guides readers into picturesque settings and seasons to experience life as a tiny seed. Like a true parent, Miss Maple brings hope to her adoptive plant embryos as they dream of rich soil and warm sunshine. She warns them to “stay clear of weedy characters,” encourages them to dance in the rain, and when the time is right, she sets her infants free to take root.
Wheeler’s quiet illustrations captivate. Soar on the back of a bluebird. Explore Miss Maple’s tree home. Let Eliza Wheeler nurture your curious mind.
~ Anna
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Watch for my pick next!
We want to hear from you!
What children’s book make you think of planting seeds or spring?
Lou, thank you for selecting this sweet gem! You’re like Miss Maple, planting good seeds in the fertile soil of your students’ minds. If they don’t appreciate their good fortune now, they will one day–in a bookstore, a library, or as they read to their own children.
Friends, learn more about Eliza Wheeler and MISS MAPLE’S SEEDS here: http://wheelerstudio.com/category/book-projects/miss-maples-seeds/
Classic MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS by Robert McCloskey received mention via Facebook as a favorite spring-themed picture book.
In my first-grade science class yesterday we spent an entire session exploring seeds: their shapes, sizes, textures, patterns, etc. We predicted the number and properties inside different species of dried bean pods, then broke them open to check our predictions and compare our results. I can’t wait to follow up with MISS MAPLE’S SEEDS. The students are going to be so excited to find somebody who loves the uniqueness of each seed as much as they do!