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A Seed Is Sleepy
Award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston have teamed up again to create this gorgeous and informative introduction to seeds. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, the book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts, making it a guide that is equally at home being read on a parent's lap as in a classroom reading circle.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2007
31 people are currently reading
1633 people want to read
About the author
Dianna Hutts Aston
18 books123 followersDianna Hutts Aston was born in Houston, Texas, attended the University of Houston, and worked as a journalist for several years. LOONY LITTLE is her first picture book with Candlewick Press. She says, "It was one of the hottest summer days on record. My mind, of its own accord, kept wandering northward, to a wilderness of snow and ice, the Arctic. While listening to the news one evening, I heard Peter Jennings say, ‘The polar icecap is melting - or is it?’ In my mind, I heard, ‘The sky is falling!’ The whole concept for LOONY LITTLE literally fell from the sky and into my mind." Dianna Hutts Aston lives in central Texas with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
March 4, 2017
A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long is a very simple and informative book on seeds. It contains beautiful and detailed illustrations of seeds. The story covers dormancy, travel, size, germination, and needs.
This is a wonderful simple read for young readers. It's poetic in form and a mix of print and cursive text.
4****
This is a wonderful simple read for young readers. It's poetic in form and a mix of print and cursive text.
4****
August 20, 2016
The illustrations are glorious. They’re also accurate and very educational. This is an outstanding science book about seeds and the plants that come from them. The text is convincing about just how amazing seeds are. At first I didn’t like the adjective headings, but I quickly changed my mind because the knowledge they provided is first rate. However impressive the information (and there are some really interesting facts here!) the illustrations are what make this book. I perused them for quite a long time. Even the youngest children will be able to enjoy them and the book could be used as a botany/science book in the elementary grades. Most children are fascinated with nature and this is a very pleasant way to learn about it. The extinct date palm tree seed story is sure to wow people of all ages.
August 6, 2019
Dianna Hutts Aston, teams up again with Sylvia Long to produce another beautiful informative picture book!
January 4, 2010
Like its predecessor, An Egg Is Quiet the author/illustrator team make us realize that seeds are beautiful, fascinating and utterly worthy of our attention and appreciation. The front inside cover pages show many, many seeds ranging from the very small to the big--then the back inside cover pages show the plants that sprout from the seeds. Between those pages is a glorious exploration of many different types of seeds--seeds that float on air or water, seeds that are tiny as a freckle, seeds that weigh 60 pounds, seeds that take but days to begin to grow, seeds that will grow after thousands of years... I believe that this, along with the "Egg is Quiet" book, is a must-have for any home library and I hope very much we will see many more wonderful books like this from this talented team!
February 4, 2019
Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long - who also collaborated on
An Egg Is Quiet
- offer a pean to the seed in this lovely picture-book, which explores some of the many fascinating qualities of these plants-to-be. In the beginning, a seed is sleepy (and secretive), lying untouched and still, but soon it is fruitful and adventurous - spreading out and growing. Each two-page spread pairs a general (and rather poetic) statement about seeds, with some specific scientific information. "A Seed Is Naked," for instance, is followed by a brief two-sentence discussion of gymnosperms - seeds that are not "clothed" in fruit.
I really liked this dual format, and think it will draw young readers in, sparking their interest and then building upon it. The ink and watercolor artwork is simply superb, with beautiful colors, appealing page layout, and botanical portraits that capture the delicate charm of dandelion seeds and the towering strength of the redwoods. A Seed Is Sleepy presents its information in an innovative way, making it one of a number of recent picture-book (Jason Chin's Redwoods also springs to mind, in this regard) I would recommend, to get reluctant or indifferent young students interested in botany. Highly recommended!
I really liked this dual format, and think it will draw young readers in, sparking their interest and then building upon it. The ink and watercolor artwork is simply superb, with beautiful colors, appealing page layout, and botanical portraits that capture the delicate charm of dandelion seeds and the towering strength of the redwoods. A Seed Is Sleepy presents its information in an innovative way, making it one of a number of recent picture-book (Jason Chin's Redwoods also springs to mind, in this regard) I would recommend, to get reluctant or indifferent young students interested in botany. Highly recommended!
July 5, 2017
This is one series that had my attention caught since of its descriptive title. Each book's title within the series gives the reader a chance to know what is being explored within the pages of the actual book while also providing the format of the book's writing, which is the "is ...".
Furthermore each book in the series can also be read in two different formats thus allowing the reading audience to be broadened out. If you have very young readers or those who cannot sit still long enough for a book whether it is since of too much information or just length than you can read the descriptive for each page while avoiding all the smaller more emphasized information that is given for the page. And for those who are interested or can keep their attention focused than the whole page can be read and explored.
The illustrations are bright and colorful but doesn't distract at all from the information provided. Instead each illustration is given in the right detail while the species name is provided so you aren't sitting there trying to figure out which one of the millions you are looking at. This same thought and consideration is included on the front and back pages where in the case of the former and the butterfly book you were given a chance to see the caterpillar than on the back pages were the evolved butterflies.
This was truly a great idea for writing a nonfiction novel that allows children a chance to explore such big subjects while without being too overwhelming.
Furthermore each book in the series can also be read in two different formats thus allowing the reading audience to be broadened out. If you have very young readers or those who cannot sit still long enough for a book whether it is since of too much information or just length than you can read the descriptive for each page while avoiding all the smaller more emphasized information that is given for the page. And for those who are interested or can keep their attention focused than the whole page can be read and explored.
The illustrations are bright and colorful but doesn't distract at all from the information provided. Instead each illustration is given in the right detail while the species name is provided so you aren't sitting there trying to figure out which one of the millions you are looking at. This same thought and consideration is included on the front and back pages where in the case of the former and the butterfly book you were given a chance to see the caterpillar than on the back pages were the evolved butterflies.
This was truly a great idea for writing a nonfiction novel that allows children a chance to explore such big subjects while without being too overwhelming.
March 28, 2018
I love books with science and knowledge, I think they are important in any library and for every age. I didn't like science in school, so I'm trying to educate myself in that department starting from scratch, and the illustrations are lovely.
March 7, 2010
A Seed is Sleepy is a beautiful introduction to the world of seeds and plants by Dianna Aston. Each detailed page provides a characteristic of a seed, and explains a bit about their role and functions. "A seed is secretive...it does not reveal itself too quickly. Most seeds sleep through a season or two," is one of the unique ways Aston relays facts about seeds. The layout is what seems to be most incredible. The words are almost poetic, water color illustrations are large and small, captions seem to float upon the pages. It's inviting for readers young and old because of the beautiful visuals. This is a great read aloud to young learners to introduce a unit. While this is an informational book, a follow up and supplemental resources will be needed to fully explain and inform about seeds and the plant world.
July 24, 2018
Wonderful book -- great illustrations and text that is pretty spare but flows well and still communicates a lot about seeds. Full review here: https://www.theproblemsite.com/book-s...
May 10, 2014
"A seed is clever. It knows to seek the sunlight...to push itself up, up, up through the soil. But it must wait awhile before that happens." Beautiful. Gorgeous illustrations.
October 24, 2019
A book with very beautiful illustrations and good content.I use it with my preK kids.They love the illustrations.
June 4, 2017
Nice story with lovely artwork that teaches us all about different types of seeds in nature.
A nice book for children.
A nice book for children.
August 22, 2022
A fantastic rhyming nonfiction picture book all about seeds!
Read for our 2nd grade B&R Science unit on Plants.
Read for our 2nd grade B&R Science unit on Plants.
December 15, 2014
This book is so cool! In my district, our science curriculum teaches a unit about plants. I find that 2nd graders have a little bit of a hard time envisioning without a good visual of how a seed really works. We explore lima beans and all the parts of a seed that are found inside, but to have this text to accompany my lesson would make such a stronger impact on my students. I can completely see how some of them will reference the text after we read it when we are learning through out entire unit. The illustrations are inviting, colorful, and there is a great deal of information in the text. I'm so glad my professor was able to introduce this text to me! There are some other really next ones out there like A Butterfly is Patient. I showed this one to our first grade team as their spring unit focuses on butterflies.
May 1, 2018
I enjoyed reading and learning from this book! This is the perfect book to learn about the growth of plants during the spring. The book itself is filled with colorful ill and detailed information on seeds and how they grow. I think children would respond very well to this book just because of how informative it is.
December 11, 2018
A lovely book, full of interesting facts and connections and written, it seems to me, with a joy in the subject matter. With its strong images of seeds and shoots and flowers, this has something in common with Jackie Morris’ work in The Lost Words, but the more measured and scientific content makes this a different kind of read: a non-fiction text to intrigue and inform.
July 26, 2008
Published: 2007
Genre/Form: Non-Fiction
Theme: Lifecycle of a seed
Summary: A book about different kind of seeds with examples, how they travel, where they come from and what it needs to grow.
Genre/Form: Non-Fiction
Theme: Lifecycle of a seed
Summary: A book about different kind of seeds with examples, how they travel, where they come from and what it needs to grow.
May 11, 2010
Detailed and vibrant illustrations; exquisite text, both to look at and to read. And I learned of drift seeds!
September 29, 2020
I love this series. The illustrations are intricate, gorgeous, and educational. I know I would have liked this as a kid...although adults can learn something as well!
May 6, 2021
"A Seed Is Sleepy," a beautiful book by artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston, gives children a beautiful and educational look at the intricate, nuanced, and often surprising world of seeds. The book introduces children to a fascinating collection of seeds and plant information in a poetic voice and beautiful design, making it ideal reading material for home or in the classroom. This book appealed to me for a number of reasons: it introduced seeds in an approachable manner for children, and it included more than just traditional seeds. I also appreciate the fact that most pages had additional text to read. If I need to understand explain to my students how seeds and plants work together, I will most likely use this book as an added resource. This book would be ideal for me to use as a potential teacher. The illustrations, as well as the accompanying written parts, were amazing. I really like the language used to identify the seeds, and I think it would be a great addition to a classroom library, along with the other episodes. I'm having a great time discovering all of these fantastic books that will help my students enjoy reading and learning.
January 27, 2021
What an incredible book! Beautiful, poetic text and stunning illustrations. I learned so much about the different aspects of a seed’s existence— from how the seed sprouts to all the sizes they come in. Terrific resource for readers young and old.
March 27, 2017
These are great books.
January 14, 2018
A seed is clever. It knows to seek the sunlight...
to push itself up,up,up through the soil.
But it must wait awhile before that happens.
May 10, 2021
Gorgeous illustrations and excellent information about seeds. Perfect way to start our own personal vegetable and flower garden this spring.
March 6, 2022
The illustrations, the information, the format - I love it all so much.
July 10, 2024
This book is perfect to read when you have kids of various ages! Simple large text for littler kids, more info for older siblings!
September 6, 2024
Lyrical non-fiction, gorgeous art.Fascinating facts.
August 25, 2023
This was the sweetest little story, a great way for kids to learn about seeds and plants.
November 12, 2017
This informational text explores the many different characteristics of a seed before it becomes a plant or flower. The book takes the reader through the process of what seeds look like, how big they are, how they find their spots to be planted, and their needs to just name a few. The illustrations by Sylvia Long paint such a beautiful picture in the reader's mind that you are able to visualize the different types of seeds that we have in the world.
I would read this book as part of plant life cycle unit. As a kindergarten teacher I can totally see my students enjoying reading this book and hearing so many different facts about seeds. There are so many different types of seeds included in this book that it could be an excellent way to compare and contrast different types of seeds and plants. While this book would be an excellent resource in a lower grade classroom I could also see it being used in a higher level elementary classroom when they are learning about plants or even as they are learning about descriptive language. The vocabulary that is included in this text to describe seeds is excellent.
The vocabulary is what made this a WOW book for me. In this text we learn that seeds can be secretive, clever, inventive, adventurous, ancient, and generous in addition to so much more. The vocabulary takes this book about seeds to another level. As a kindergarten teacher I have read many informational books about plants and seeds but never one quite like this. Usually the information is plainly stated and there is a photograph beside the fact. We will talk about it and move on. However, I feel as though with the inclusion of these important vocabulary terms there could be room for far more discussion than normal when reading an informational text. Students can make connections and will not only be able to remember facts about seeds but will also be able to expand their vocabulary and use and understand new terms when it is warranted. Before reading A Seed is Sleepy I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series by Dianna Hutts Aston but I just read An Egg is Quiet and a Butterfly is Patient and similarly to this text I was impressed by the usage of vocabulary and new facts that I learned. I look forward to reading the rest of her books.
I would read this book as part of plant life cycle unit. As a kindergarten teacher I can totally see my students enjoying reading this book and hearing so many different facts about seeds. There are so many different types of seeds included in this book that it could be an excellent way to compare and contrast different types of seeds and plants. While this book would be an excellent resource in a lower grade classroom I could also see it being used in a higher level elementary classroom when they are learning about plants or even as they are learning about descriptive language. The vocabulary that is included in this text to describe seeds is excellent.
The vocabulary is what made this a WOW book for me. In this text we learn that seeds can be secretive, clever, inventive, adventurous, ancient, and generous in addition to so much more. The vocabulary takes this book about seeds to another level. As a kindergarten teacher I have read many informational books about plants and seeds but never one quite like this. Usually the information is plainly stated and there is a photograph beside the fact. We will talk about it and move on. However, I feel as though with the inclusion of these important vocabulary terms there could be room for far more discussion than normal when reading an informational text. Students can make connections and will not only be able to remember facts about seeds but will also be able to expand their vocabulary and use and understand new terms when it is warranted. Before reading A Seed is Sleepy I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series by Dianna Hutts Aston but I just read An Egg is Quiet and a Butterfly is Patient and similarly to this text I was impressed by the usage of vocabulary and new facts that I learned. I look forward to reading the rest of her books.
April 24, 2019
Genre: Nonfiction
Awards: None
Audience: 1st- 3rd Grade
A. The topic of this book is seeds as many different characteristics of seeds are discussed that allow children to learn more about a variety of seeds. The addition of facts and information makes this book nonfiction and it is a great resource for young children, especially those who are interested in seeds learning about and how plants grow.
B. The topic is presented in a child-friendly way as the book does not go into too many complex details about seeds but children are still able to learn things they probably didn't know about seeds prior to reading the book. This is a great introductory book for a child who has never learned what a seed is or what it becomes.
C. The text has numerous nonfiction features such as numerous diagrams and timelines that show the lifespan of seeds and the stages a seed goes through when it sprouts and begins to grow. Additionally, there are labels on almost every page as different seeds are illustrated on every page to expose children to a variety of unique and different seeds.
D. I would use this book in a classroom with children if we were talking about plants and where plants come from, and or how seeds grow to become plants. While this book might not provide the most in-depth explanations of seeds and how seeds grow I still think it would be an excellent book in a classroom or at home for students to enjoy if they are interested in seeds, plants, gardening, etc.
Awards: None
Audience: 1st- 3rd Grade
A. The topic of this book is seeds as many different characteristics of seeds are discussed that allow children to learn more about a variety of seeds. The addition of facts and information makes this book nonfiction and it is a great resource for young children, especially those who are interested in seeds learning about and how plants grow.
B. The topic is presented in a child-friendly way as the book does not go into too many complex details about seeds but children are still able to learn things they probably didn't know about seeds prior to reading the book. This is a great introductory book for a child who has never learned what a seed is or what it becomes.
C. The text has numerous nonfiction features such as numerous diagrams and timelines that show the lifespan of seeds and the stages a seed goes through when it sprouts and begins to grow. Additionally, there are labels on almost every page as different seeds are illustrated on every page to expose children to a variety of unique and different seeds.
D. I would use this book in a classroom with children if we were talking about plants and where plants come from, and or how seeds grow to become plants. While this book might not provide the most in-depth explanations of seeds and how seeds grow I still think it would be an excellent book in a classroom or at home for students to enjoy if they are interested in seeds, plants, gardening, etc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews