i am the flower you are the seed You Are a Little SeedBy: Sook Hee Choi Translated by: Jieun Kiaer Seedslike childrencan blossom despite the odds. Discover seven different flowers that blossom from seven different kinds of seedseach resilient in their own way as they take root. This heartfelt story serves as a metaphor for the strength in seedsand humansand the beauty and diversity in flowers, or the people we blossom into. If you like this book, youll enjoy these: Plants on the Move Moving Words About a

By: Sook-Hee Choi / Translated by: Jieun Kiaer

Seeds—like children—can blossom despite the odds.

Discover seven different flowers that blossom from seven different kinds of seeds—each resilient in their own way as they take root. This heartfelt story serves as a metaphor for the strength in seeds—and humans—and the beauty and diversity in flowers, or the people we blossom into.

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Author & Illustrator

Sook-Hee Choi, author-illustrator

Sook-Hee Choi studied industrial design at Seoul National University and has worked as picture book author and illustrator for more than twenty years. Her titles include To My Child, The Magic Soup, and Tree of Mine. She was selected as the Illustrator of the Year at Bologna Children’s Book Fair for The Picture Map of the World, and was also invited to the Artist of the Year ceremony at the Internationella Biblioteket in Sweden for A Child of the Heaven and the Earth.

Read more about Sook-Hee.

Awards & Honors

• Coming soon!

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

Growing flowers symbolize children’s development in this South Korean import. A young child holding on to a dandelion seed drifts along (“A seed, a seed blowing in the wind…”). The next page shows the kid wearing the same yellow dress but now older, firmly grasping a flower that “took root in the wild and bloomed as a dandelion.” The book continues similarly; each tot is compared to a different seed and eventually blooms in their unique way, much like their comparative blossom. Another youngster sits in a star-shaped pod, staring uncertainly (“A seed, a seed crouching down low…”). The next page shows the child, older and confidently smiling (“raised its head proudly and bloomed as a peony”). A forlorn little one described as “delicate to the touch” develops into a “balsam that never gave way to scorching sun or pouring rain.” Eventually readers are told that they, too, are seeds; Choi asks them what kind of bloom they will be. The lyrical text pairs well with the realistic portrayals of flowers and the charming cartoon depictions of the kids. Warm colors fill the pages, from autumnal browns to springlike pinks. The only questionable moment is when the author describes a seed as “ugly and wrinkled”; readers may raise an eyebrow at the idea of referring to a child as physically unattractive. An encouraging tale of growth.

Foreword Reviews

First published in Korean, this translated picture book uses bright illustrations and simple, flowing language to convey the resilience and potential within every child. Some seeds are shy, others have thorns, but they develop into proud peonies and elegant island flowers; the seeds and plants are paired with illustrations of children growing up. Full-page, close-up illustrations display the varied colors and patterns of the flowers and plants, as well as the diverse personalities of the children who embody them.

Children's Literature

Float and drift with the seeds set to bloom into beautiful flowers in this whimsical picture book. At the book's start, a feathery dandelion seed floats off the flower while a young girl holds onto one. The illustration shows only a dandelion flower on a yellow page with simple text. Turn the page to see ten dandelions that have bloomed and the same young girl, just older, still hanging on to one of the stems. The same cycle is repeated for a lilac seed, with a young girl peeking from behind. A turn of the page reveals lovely lilacs with the same young girl, slightly older, kneeling on a branch. Peonies, balsam, hollyhock, and lotus flowers also are shown in the book. Readers are encouraged to engage their creativity and think about themselves as flowers as well. The enchanting illustrations can open up a science conversation about seeds and plants. This book is a sweet message to young children about growth and cycles. Great for a home library or preschool classroom! Translated from a South Korean picturebook.

Details

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-428-7

Ages: 2–5
Page count: 40
7 x 9

Publication date: March 19, 2024

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