Pick, Pull, Snap!: Where Once a Flower Bloomed

by Lola M. Schaefer, Lindsay Barrett George (Illustrator)

In the orchard
a honey bee buzzes.
Its legs brush pollen
inside a fragrant
pink flower: A small green fruit
begins to grow
and grow and grow.... Peaches and peas
and even peanuts --
they all begin with
a single flower:
How?
Open this book
and find out!

Genres: Picture Books, Science, Plants, Gardening, Nonfiction, Food, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

Lola M. Schaefer is an educator, writer, and gardener, and the author of many acclaimed books for children about math, art, science, technology, animals, and nature. She uses shovels, hoes, rakes, and scissors when she works in her garden. Lola M. Shaefer grew up in Indiana, and now lives in northern Georgia.

Reviews

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

The name of this particular book is fun and eye-catching while giving only the slightest idea as to what may be contained within the pages of the book unless someone you know does gardening. Otherwise the book only promises at some type of reading about plants.

Once you get within the pages the reader is given a chance to explore separate plants as to how they are pollinated, by what they may be pollinated and how that results in their seeds then developing as well as what those seeds will turn out to be. Each plant is followed by some beautiful plants showing the actual fruit/vegetable/legume developing as well so that children have an idea of the whole process.

For those who want to try to grow their own fruits and veggies there are planting instructions in the back of the book that are detailed and easy-to-follow while also at the same time giving you an idea how long you may have to wait for results. And after that there is a glossary to explore some of the harder to understand words for readers.

All in all if you are a gardener or a farmer who wants to share a bit about the world of plants with the younger generation this will be a good start. And for teachers you may even get your class started as well on the process while teaching about it then allowing children to try to grow one of the quicker growing plants in the book or maybe even another like bean sprouts.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so much fun to read with the kids. Each page contains a description of a flowering plant as it is pollinated and develops, with a hidden flap that reveals what the plant turns into. The kids got a huge kick out of guessing what the plant grew into based on the description: some were easy, like corn, and some were harder, like pumpkins. It managed to teach about pollination and plant growth without sounding boring. Extra points for audience participation potential.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5- Neat book to get kids interested in planting/gardening. Each spread focuses on one type of plant, its flower, seed, and fruit. There are side versions of what the fruit looks like when it is growing. At the end of the book, it gives more information on how to grow each of the kinds of plants previously featured.

[Kennedi Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pick, pull, snap is a great educational book for young readers. This book will teach a young child about how some plants turn into fruits or vegetables or many other things! This book would be great for a science teacher to take and turn it into a lesson

[Karen Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good informational book but not one I would choose over some others.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous gouache-painted, full-color illustrations on three-page spreads are the highlight of this informative book on fruits, vegetables, and legumes growing in a garden.

The narrative explains how the edible part of the plant develops, typically from where the flower once bloomed (except, of course for the peanuts).

The typical North American growing season is depicted, from spring until fall.

At the end of the book, additional information about pollination and the care of the featured plants is included, as is a glossary.

[R. Condon]

This beautifully illustrated fold-out book is an excellent way to draw picture book lovers into early nonfiction. Every page focuses on a plant that flowers before it produces food. Each flower is explored through a cross-section diagram on top of illustrations of plants, pollinators, and children interacting. The text nearly has a cadence, and the words are a bit (ahem) flowery. But! There is a helpful glossary in the back, right after the book’s miniature growing guide.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/11/2023 ~ Very cool premise with amazing gatefolds. I wish there were a newer, updated version to add to my elementary library. The repeating phrase captured attention, and the science info about the flower, development, and fruit, was useful.

[Auna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows how different plants flower and pollinate. I think it would be fun to use in a classroom or just have available to get students interested in gardening.

[Nolan Brendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it because the pictures were cool and it folded out.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not even gonna bring this one into preschool. . . just not written for little kids. It’d probably be good for like second graders. . . .

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids liked opening the flap on each page to confirm their guess of the plant it hid. Fruit, peanuts, corn, peas, are all picked "where once a flower bloomed".

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrations are a little outdated but I appreciated the lesson.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, informative book. Definitely want to read again as we prep the garden and gear up for the planting, growing, harvesting seasons.

[Nora M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Germination and fruiting

[Deidra Chamberlain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t know peanuts grow from a flower. Loved the repetition while drawing from a wide range of plant families.

[Alexis Munk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very good for children who are interested in gardening. It educates you on the types of flowers. The part I loved the most was at the back of the book it gave you many different types of plants and gave you directions on how and when to plant them. I thought that was very interesting.

[Kathleen Lance]

This book is about teaching readers how gardens are formed. It begins by talking about planting seeds, and then once the plant has sprouted, it will bloom into a flower. The bees come and pollenate the flower and in time the plant will produce a product. Wether it be corn, berries, peanuts, etc. it is important to know the general idea of how each is formed.

This book was very informational in a way that would be appealing to kids. Each page opens with bright illustrations and a secret page to see what else the author is going to present to their readers. I liked this book and I thought that the illustrations were very good for the topic of the book.

This book would be good in a classroom because it would be a great addition to the non-fiction books for students to choose from. This would be a great book to read around the time of Earth day, or if there was a lesson the teacher was going to teach regarding growing plants.

[Natalie Schmitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wonder how certain things grow like peanuts and peaches? Read this book to find out how delicious foods and beautiful flowers grow! This book is great to dicuss plants and the process they go through to create flowers and fruits.

[Kaylee Warzecha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to talk to younger children about how food grows and how flowers have seeds in them. Very good pictures to show how the process happens. There is also great information in the back of the book about each plant that was talked about. (Nonfiction)

[Miss Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too long for storytime but a cute concept about flowers turning into fruits and vegetables. Each page tells the story of one flower and then you lift the page to reveal the fruit or vegetable. Preschool and up.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done. It takes basic gardening for children a step further with more in depth descriptions and information. And who doesn't love a, "lift the flap" book?

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed that the end of the book included directions on how to grow the plants featured in the story. In my opinion, the flaps are unnecessary and annoying.

[CFAITC]

Through colorful illustrations and fold-out pages, learn how flowers produce peaches, peas, and even peanuts.

[Christine Turner]

In the orchard
a honey bee buzzes.
Its legs brush pollen
inside a fragrant
pink flower:
A small green fruit
begins to grow
and grow and grow....
Peaches and peas
and even peanuts --
they all begin with
a single flower:
How?
Open this book
and find out!