Product Description

A charming tale about inventive children who plant some summer fun.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69649 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780152019525
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K?Another story about the life cycle of growing things?in this case, mammoth sunflowers?planted in a way that captures the imagination. A young boy plants the seeds in a large circle. He waters them and waits patiently until they grow taller than himself, with huge nodding blossoms that form a perfect "sunflower house." He and two friends play in the "house" all summer, even sleeping in it one night, until the leaves turn brown and the stems fall down. Then they fill their pockets with the seeds, the birds eat some, and the rest are left on the ground to grow again next summer. Bunting's idea is creative and charming, with poetic and romantic aspects. Unfortunately, the text, written in rhymed couplets, is not wholly successful. At times, the rhyme scheme seems strained and the meter becomes singsongy. The bright illustrations, done in watercolor and colored pencil, are reminiscent of this team's Flower Garden (Harcourt, 1994). They are realistic and add interesting details that extend the brief text. Despite its flaws, the book could spark an interest in the cycle of nature.?Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4^-7. A little boy plants sunflower seeds in a big circle. He cares for them and watches them grow into a round wall of stems with golden flowers at the top. After playing in the "sunflower house" all summer, he and his friends collect the seeds from the dying plants to sow for next summer's flowers. Rhymed couplets written in first person express the boy's determination, surprise, and delight as he weaves his own play into the sunflowers' cycle from seed to seed. The watercolor-and-colored pencil artwork shows a variety of perspectives, from cross sections of the seed sprouting underground to moonlit scenes of children sleeping out in the sunflower house. Primary and preschool teachers will find this a colorful, child-appealing addition to units on plants. Parents should prepare for spring planting. Carolyn Phelan

Review

Customer Reviews

Colorful, playful, nostalgic, bright and fun.
Looking for the perfect book for kids to understand the concept of 'how a seed grows'...? This one is great, and shows the development of the seeds, from beginning to end while bright illustrations show what fun the garden brings home to the little boy who grew his own 'sunflower house' and shared it with others. How one seed can grow into a plant that supplies even more seeds to sow, and bring pleasure not only for one season, but many seasons thereafter that others may enjoy as well.

A Sweet Book
I absolutely love this concept book. My preschool children love it too. I have 4 & 5 year olds and this book is a great jumping off point to all sorts of Springtime themes! I have read many of Eve Bunting's books and all are wonderful; I highly recommend them all.

Sunflower House
Beautiful pictures. I read this book to my 3 & 4 year old sons.
They thought it was really neat so we planted a sunflower house that spring. Even my 9 yr old son wanted in on the project. It was a great way to introduce not only the wonders of the plant growth process but also the responsibilty of caring for things that grow.