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A Packet of Seeds
Having moved to the frontier, Anna is aware of her mother's homesickness for her family, friends, and garden back east and so decides to give her a gift she will truly appreciate using a special pack of seeds she packed before they moved out west.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2004
2 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Hopkinson
97 books368 followersI write nonfiction and historical fiction, picture books, and Golden Books. I speak at school, libraries, and conferences. I also love to garden and offer manuscript critiques. (Deborahhopkinson@yahoo.com)
NEW books in 2024 include DETERMINED DREAMER: THE STORY OF MARIE CURIE, illus by Jen Hill, ON A SUMMER NIGHT, illus by Kenard Pak, TRIM HELPS OUT and TRIM SAILS the STORM, illus by Kristy Caldwell, EVIDENCE! illustrated by Nik Henderson, and a nonfiction work called THEY SAVED THE STALLIONS. I'm delighted to say that Trim Helps Out, Trim Sails the Storm, On a Summer Night and Evidence! are all Junior Library Guild selections.
I live and work in Oregon and travel all over to speak to young readers and writers.
NEW books in 2024 include DETERMINED DREAMER: THE STORY OF MARIE CURIE, illus by Jen Hill, ON A SUMMER NIGHT, illus by Kenard Pak, TRIM HELPS OUT and TRIM SAILS the STORM, illus by Kristy Caldwell, EVIDENCE! illustrated by Nik Henderson, and a nonfiction work called THEY SAVED THE STALLIONS. I'm delighted to say that Trim Helps Out, Trim Sails the Storm, On a Summer Night and Evidence! are all Junior Library Guild selections.
I live and work in Oregon and travel all over to speak to young readers and writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 4, 2012
I'm not actually sure what I think of this book. It has a hopeful ending, yes. And, wonderful illustrations by Bethanne Anderson. I don't know if children would notice and be bothered by what disturbed me or not. I probably need to have Sloane read it and tell me what she thinks. Anyway, what bothered me was that the father in the story insisted on moving further west, taking his wife and children away from family and friends. He knew she didn't want to go, but still persisted in having his way. It's told in a way that makes it easier for a child, but the mother obviously falls into a depression and still, the father persists in having his way. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...... that kind of disregard for a spouse makes me crazy. I know it actually happened, but I don't know that it is appropriate for a children's book. Maybe it is - I'm just not sure. Have you read it? What do you think?
November 4, 2019
When many families traveled west on the Oregon Trail during a time of rapid change, leaving behind friends and all that was familiar, they often tried to soften their losses by planting flowers. Hopkinson’s tender story, with carefully crafted dialogue, is set in boxes on Andersen’s sweeping prairie landscapes. Together, and without sentimentality, they dramatize the leave-taking more than the trip, the settling in and new baby arriving more than what is left behind.
Young Annie, the narrator realizes, however, that Momma needs the flowers that represent her friends. With her younger brother Jimmy, Annie spends several days trying to turn over hard earth protected by a web of prairie grass roots. Finally, Pa understands, and takes time away from plowing and planting crops to help.
The energy of the story peaks when Momma comes outdoors to see their work.
She sends Annie to find a bundle tied with a lavender ribbon, tucked inside a trunk. Filled with waiting, the silence in the story marks Momma’s return to family life. She names the new baby, whose presence has reminded them all, including Pa, of the new life ahead.
Young Annie, the narrator realizes, however, that Momma needs the flowers that represent her friends. With her younger brother Jimmy, Annie spends several days trying to turn over hard earth protected by a web of prairie grass roots. Finally, Pa understands, and takes time away from plowing and planting crops to help.
The energy of the story peaks when Momma comes outdoors to see their work.
She sends Annie to find a bundle tied with a lavender ribbon, tucked inside a trunk. Filled with waiting, the silence in the story marks Momma’s return to family life. She names the new baby, whose presence has reminded them all, including Pa, of the new life ahead.
May 26, 2018
"All Pa could see was the new land before him. All Momma could feel was the sorrow of leaving everything behind."
A story about the emotional hardship of leaving everything behind and creating a new home on the prairie. As her father works to build the house and plant a crop, Anna sees that her mother is very sad and needs something to cheer her up. So, she begins creating a garden. With the help of her brother and father, she manages to get a big enough plot of ground ready for seeds from the neighbors. But it's the flower seeds that bring her mother out of her depression ... packets given to her by her sister and friends on the day they left home.
A story about the emotional hardship of leaving everything behind and creating a new home on the prairie. As her father works to build the house and plant a crop, Anna sees that her mother is very sad and needs something to cheer her up. So, she begins creating a garden. With the help of her brother and father, she manages to get a big enough plot of ground ready for seeds from the neighbors. But it's the flower seeds that bring her mother out of her depression ... packets given to her by her sister and friends on the day they left home.
April 14, 2020
What a sweet reminder that the earth has healing power. This short story addresses the courage of pioneers, the weight of depression, and the healing power of a garden. My favorite line: "friends and flowers are a lot alike. No matter how bad your troubles, they gladden your heart."
"A Packet of Seeds" was written for children from the perspective of a child. It always amazes me how much children understand about difficult things. Like the mother, I found solace, joy, and redemption in the packets of seeds given her by friends.
"A Packet of Seeds" was written for children from the perspective of a child. It always amazes me how much children understand about difficult things. Like the mother, I found solace, joy, and redemption in the packets of seeds given her by friends.
February 17, 2023
Worth a read just to experience the illustrations by Bethanne Anderson. There are a few pages I'd love to commit to memory. This story is a bit heavy—carrying the weight and isolation of pioneer families, the loss of community and close family when one moves, and the depths of postpartum despair, but it ends on a hopeful note and Wallace (currently 2.75 years) loves it. It's that pastoral, poetic rhythm he longs for in narratives and mom isn't mad about it. We'll wade into that vast, unknown land together.
March 17, 2025
Too long for a read-aloud.
In the afterword, the author wrote: "I sometimes come across isolated farmhouses encircled by vast, open wheat fields. But, almost always, there are trees planted to shelter the house, and flowers and roses blooming in the front yard. When I see such an old farmhouse, I can't help imagining what life might have been like for the people who first planted those trees and flowers."
In the afterword, the author wrote: "I sometimes come across isolated farmhouses encircled by vast, open wheat fields. But, almost always, there are trees planted to shelter the house, and flowers and roses blooming in the front yard. When I see such an old farmhouse, I can't help imagining what life might have been like for the people who first planted those trees and flowers."
October 19, 2025
This is a sweet story about how a family moves to new land. With a lot of unknowns and the mom expecting a new baby, the mom seems to be more hesitant about this move. After the baby is born the mom has postpartum depression and her older daughter takes it upon herself to make a flower garden for her mom to make her happy and smile again. It works and at the end of the story the mom is able to name the baby sister.
June 18, 2020
This one felt so real to me. So many men dreamt of a new life out west, and so many women left everything behind out of obedience to their husband. At the core of this story is a woman who struggled with the move, greatly. I cried and ached throughout the story and I think it spoke truth into the emotional hardships many women faced as they followed their husbands dreams.
May 28, 2018
This was a decent book, but very much not my cup of tea.
October 25, 2019
More about starting life on the prairie than about plants, but the story is sweet and hopeful. Don’t miss the author’s note!
Note- hints at postpartum depression
Note- hints at postpartum depression
June 12, 2020
I would've loved to see an illustration of the blooming garden at the end.
November 1, 2021
Sweet story of when there is hardship and sadness, getting your hands in the dirt and planting beautiful flowers can lift anyone's spirit❤
February 16, 2022
Beautiful story and illustrations. The family moves west during the dust bowl. Momma is sad because she misses her flowers from her home.
January 26, 2023
Beautifully illustrated. I teared up reading this one to my littles.
March 23, 2023
Truly beautiful, inspiring one to read more on the subject. Could be a great gateway book for a unit study.
January 5, 2024
Beautiful!
Read
September 23, 2024Homesickness/postpartum depression
December 8, 2007
Interesting illustrations and text with dialogue tell the story of a family that migrated west and the challenges the solitude of the prairie bring. Published in 2004, A Packet of Seeds explores the comfort flowers can bring when given and planted with love.
This book is written in first-person point of view through the eyes of Annie, a young girl who plants a flower garden to lift her mother’s spirits. When Pa moves the family west, Annie and her brother Jim find themselves in new surroundings, with a busy father, and a pregnant, lonely mother. Annie’s mother does not leave the house, sleeps all the time, and is sad after arriving west. Annie attempts to lift her mother’s spirits by planting a garden with the seed packets their friends gave as gifts when they left their old home. The hard work and thoughtfulness of Annie and Jim’s garden helps their mother overcome depression and inspires her to name their new sister Janice Rose.
The majority of Hopkinson’s text is in dialogue form, with Annie talking to her family members about her experiences and emotions. Overall, the words of the book are simple and clear. A few lines emerging with imagery, such as “It wasn’t long before my hands were red and sore and my back ached. Slowly I turned over the hard earth, opening it to the warm air,” refers to Annie’s task of clearing soil to plant the garden.
Bethanne Anderson’s watercolor illustrations are the highlight of this book. She uses simple lines and rich colors to tell Annie’s story. The faces of Anderson’s characters express emotion and her use of color and texture is meaningful. Paintings fill every page of the book are the best part of A Packet of Seeds.
This well-illustrated picture book is intended for elementary level audiences. A downfall of this book is Annie’s reaction to her mother’s depression. Instead of a mother who remains strong for her children, the daughter feels responsible for her mother’s happiness. Overall, this is a sweet story of how family bonds can overcome loneliness during westward expansion.
This book is written in first-person point of view through the eyes of Annie, a young girl who plants a flower garden to lift her mother’s spirits. When Pa moves the family west, Annie and her brother Jim find themselves in new surroundings, with a busy father, and a pregnant, lonely mother. Annie’s mother does not leave the house, sleeps all the time, and is sad after arriving west. Annie attempts to lift her mother’s spirits by planting a garden with the seed packets their friends gave as gifts when they left their old home. The hard work and thoughtfulness of Annie and Jim’s garden helps their mother overcome depression and inspires her to name their new sister Janice Rose.
The majority of Hopkinson’s text is in dialogue form, with Annie talking to her family members about her experiences and emotions. Overall, the words of the book are simple and clear. A few lines emerging with imagery, such as “It wasn’t long before my hands were red and sore and my back ached. Slowly I turned over the hard earth, opening it to the warm air,” refers to Annie’s task of clearing soil to plant the garden.
Bethanne Anderson’s watercolor illustrations are the highlight of this book. She uses simple lines and rich colors to tell Annie’s story. The faces of Anderson’s characters express emotion and her use of color and texture is meaningful. Paintings fill every page of the book are the best part of A Packet of Seeds.
This well-illustrated picture book is intended for elementary level audiences. A downfall of this book is Annie’s reaction to her mother’s depression. Instead of a mother who remains strong for her children, the daughter feels responsible for her mother’s happiness. Overall, this is a sweet story of how family bonds can overcome loneliness during westward expansion.
April 18, 2015
This is a great read about the prairie and the depression that moving to it caused for people during the westward expansion movement. The mother in the story falls into a deep depression when the family leaves there comfortable existence in the east for a large, open place in the west. The father comes off as a bit inconsiderate in this story, but the story is really one of encouragement. It's through flowers that the mother is brought out of her blue funk, and it all turns out more or less okay. Apparently, prairie settlement came with a lot of flowers being brought west as people who longed for their homes found solace in familiar flowers. There's a nice endnote to that effect. Give this one a read around the same time as Sarah, Plain and Tall and I promise that your kids will more fully appreciate the viewpoint of Sarah. Very nicely done.
February 28, 2011
This is the story of a wife, who had no choice, but to follow her husband and his dreams, of pioneer life. Leaving her home, family and friends pioneer women headed west to start a new life, often just their family alone farming out on the prairie. Pioneer history says that women often took seeds to start a garden that would remind them of home. In this story friends and relatives send mama with "packets of seeds" to remind her of home so she will not be so lonely. Mama's fmily break ground on a garden for mama, where she plants her packets of seeds and this pioneer ritual breaks her sadness about leaving home.
The art is oil paints and gouache, "a water-based paint that is opaque and matte. Usually made from gum Arabic, a chalk-like filler, and pigment. The term can refer to both the medium as well as to the technique of using watercolors".
The art is oil paints and gouache, "a water-based paint that is opaque and matte. Usually made from gum Arabic, a chalk-like filler, and pigment. The term can refer to both the medium as well as to the technique of using watercolors".
October 30, 2008
Good pioneer story about a little girl who digs a garden in order to cheer up her mother, who is lonely and depressed on the frontier after the challenge of the journey and childbirth, too tired and demoralized even to name the new baby girl. Her mother surprises her with a packet of flower seeds and starts taking an interest in the garden. Gouache and oil illustrations by Bethanne Anderson are surprisingly lovely and delicate. As always, Deborah Hopkinson takes a moment from U.S. History and makes it come to life. Pair with "Johnny Appleseed, the story of a legend," by Will Moses, or for older children, "Calico Bush," by Rachel Field.
January 24, 2013
This is a touching tale that revolves around the hardships of pioneer life told from the perspective of a young girl. The gouache-and-oil paintings nicely set the mood for the story which unravels as most pioneer tales do. While the text is nothing new, it does offer a good view of pioneer life and maintains its human element. This is ultimately a story of love and kindness between both neighbors and family. Gardeners and flower growers alike may take additional interest in the historical context, as it offers an explanation of how various varieties of plants traveled across the country - particularly roses.
November 8, 2016
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade Level: Middle School
I chose this book as one of my favorites because it helps to describe feelings that students may have had moving to a new place and therefore it makes the story relatable.
The story is all about a family who travels west to build a new home for themselves and the problems they encounter and overcome. Within my classroom I would use this book as a hook. We would compare and contrast our lives now to the lives of these characters. We would then talk about what we might bring if we were to travel somewhere far away that has not been developed yet. What are the essentials that we would need?
Grade Level: Middle School
I chose this book as one of my favorites because it helps to describe feelings that students may have had moving to a new place and therefore it makes the story relatable.
The story is all about a family who travels west to build a new home for themselves and the problems they encounter and overcome. Within my classroom I would use this book as a hook. We would compare and contrast our lives now to the lives of these characters. We would then talk about what we might bring if we were to travel somewhere far away that has not been developed yet. What are the essentials that we would need?
March 10, 2009
This was a nice book about a family that moves away from the friends they have to have land of their own out west, and a mother who is struggling to find happiness. The little girl is concerned and plants a garden for her mom, which I thought was so sweet. We liked this book, it was cute, but nothing amazing for sure. But the fact that the great sister who gives them flower seeds is named Janice helped it out a ton! :)
April 13, 2012
A wonderful (and unique) telling of the initial stages of pioneer life - leaving behind the known and venturing to the unknown - told from the point of view of a child, Annie and through the seed packets. It focuses on Annie's "Ma" and is laced heavily with her emotions - sadness, fear, depression (especially after the arrival of a new little one) and finally comfort. The soft watercolours? compliment the advanced text.
December 11, 2007
This is a very cute book about moving and how a family comes together to build a new home. The packet of seeds represents the love from different friends and families and together they build a garden to bring joy back into their hearts.
I think this book is very fun and makes for a lot of content opportunities.
I think this book is very fun and makes for a lot of content opportunities.
September 12, 2013
I knew Momma wouldn't ask Pa to leave this new land . . . but I wondered if I'd ever see her smile again." Standing on the dry and dusty prairie, all Pa can see is the promise of the new land before him. All Momma can feel is the sorrow of leaving everything behind to live the life of a pioneer.
Annie thinks she knows what will make Momma happy again: a flower garden like t.
Annie thinks she knows what will make Momma happy again: a flower garden like t.
April 23, 2015
A pioneer family leaves their friends, family, and home to move west. The transition is toughest on the mother, especially after she gives birth, but her older children work hard to prepare a plot of land for a garden.
Nice voice used for telling this tale set against gouache and oil paint artwork. An author's note follows the story.
Recommended for PreK-2.
Nice voice used for telling this tale set against gouache and oil paint artwork. An author's note follows the story.
Recommended for PreK-2.
June 15, 2020
Moving west was hard enough for a family in the 1800s. But for a pregnant woman, it's even harder. Very gentle version of dealing with post partum depression.
2020 Post partum depression is such a problem for so many women. Why don’t we talk about it more? If we explained about it to pregnant women, maybe it wouldn’t catch them so unawares.
2020 Post partum depression is such a problem for so many women. Why don’t we talk about it more? If we explained about it to pregnant women, maybe it wouldn’t catch them so unawares.
April 28, 2011
This book is about moving. There's a mom,and a dad,and a boy and two girls.The mom does not want to leave their house, but her friends and sister give her seeds. The seeds help cheer her up.The mom helps plant the garden that the kids and dad stared. The mom names her baby Janice Rose.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews