Author: Anthony DeStefano
Illustrator: Erwin Madrid
Publisher: Sophia Institute Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1622828289
Pages: 32
Price: $16.95
A little seed lives in a drawer with other seeds. Sometimes a man comes and opens the drawer, taking one away with him, and no one ever sees it again. The seed lives in fear that the man will come for him and something terrible will happen.
One day, the dreaded moment arrives, and the seed is carried away. He feels sad and lonely when he’s planted, and contemplates his fate. But a miraculous transformation starts taking place. He begins to grow, and soon he’s a tall tree. Now he can see the sun, the blue sky, and all the people and animals around him. He is happy because he has fulfilled his destiny.
The rhyming text of this story is perfect, and the illustrations are stunning. While there is no direct religious message presented in the story, Bible quotes are provided at the end of the book. These include a reference to the parable of the seed that must fall to the ground and die in order to bear fruit.
Kids find change frightening, and they will relate to the seed feeling fearful of leaving the safety and comfort of the drawer. Seeing the seed accept and finally embrace his transformation will help them see that sometimes change can be very good. I highly recommend The Seed Who Was Afraid to Be Planted.
Reviewer: Alice Berger
Bergers Book Reviews 