Dandelion Seed's Big Dream
Book Description
This charming tale follows the flight of a seed from the countryside to the city-buffeted by wind, caught in a spider web, trapped in trash. You will be surprised and delighted to find where it finally lands. A dandelion seed can be a delightful and instructive metaphor-a "weed" despised by many, but a thing of beauty nonetheless, one of nature�s greatest success stories.
Kirkus Revie...
MoreThis charming tale follows the flight of a seed from the countryside to the city-buffeted by wind, caught in a spider web, trapped in trash. You will be surprised and delighted to find where it finally lands. A dandelion seed can be a delightful and instructive metaphor-a "weed" despised by many, but a thing of beauty nonetheless, one of nature�s greatest success stories.
Kirkus Reviews: "Floating off under its parachute, a dandelion seed makes a difficult journey and lands in an unpromising place, but in the end, it fulfills its dream of making flowers of its own. Anthony and Arbo turn the journey of a familiar weed seed into a parable of perseverance. Detailed pencil-and-paint illustrations show the tiny seed floating off from the lush green countryside and soaring over what appears to be a college town. But the town buildings and streets, though nearly empty of humans and cars, are not hospitable. There's a sticky spider web, a woman with a broom and a cavernous parking garage. The seed ends up in a discarded yellow Styrofoam container on a trash-filled lot. Winter comes and goes. In spring, an ethnically diverse cleanup crew transforms the area into a community garden; the seed flourishes nearby. An afterword introduces this weed/flower, describing its parts, its history in North America and its potential for classroom studies of plant life cycles. Building on the pair's "The Dandelion Seed" (1997), this glorifies the seed's patience and persistence, and it makes clear that this well-known plant can be much more than a weed. A simple story with more than one message."
Mixed Bag Mama says: "My first thought was, `Why would they pick a dandelion seed? No one likes dandelions.� But, as with most things, I thought about it some more and formed a different opinion. Dandelions are actually quite useful, though most people still view them as weeds. You can make salads with them and make plenty of herbal remedies as well. Some of dandelion's other uses are touched upon in the back matter of the book, so hopefully grownups and children alike will start to appreciate those yellow `weeds� in their yard more! I also liked the main message of `The Dandelion Seed's Big Dream�: Don't give up on your dreams no matter what obstacles you face."
Terra Brockman, Founder of The Land Connection, says: "This tale of the journey of a simple seed turns out to be surprisingly suspenseful. Sure to inspire a deeper appreciation of not only dandelions, but of the web of life that connects us all, this lovingly told and beautifully illustrated tale will appeal to anyone who has yearned for a place to grow and bloom."
Nathan Gray, Founder and Co-Executive Director, Earth Train, says: "`The Dandelion�s Big Dream�, much like a tale by Dr. Suess or E.B. White, takes us on a flight of imagination and into a daydream that will linger in your mind for a lifetime. Best of all, it offers a destination that matters to all of us, children and adults alike: awe, respect and, ultimately, love for the intelligence and diversity of plant life."
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