Review: The Tiny Seed

It seems you can't go wrong with an Eric Carle book. He's the type of author I relish and most deliberately slowly and gently collect so I can have a 'new' surprise every so often, by enjoying a title I haven't seen before.

Is tiny weak? Is it inconsequential? or does it have advantages that prove quite powerful in the end?

In this beautiful book that follows the seasons, a tiny seed flies along on the wind. It is too small to fall into the ocean and drown. It is too small to be seen by a bird and eaten. It is also too small to be gobbled by a mouse.

It may be small, but it is patient and strong. It lies in the ground and takes its time and eventually becomes a flowering plant.

As other, bigger plants become trampled or plucked, the tiny seed takes its time and grows into a strong and beautiful flower. A giant flower.

The tiny seed has become a giant.

Carle's iconic illustrations offer sheer enjoyment, movement and colour - perfect for a book about patience, strength, dedication and biding one's time. It's also a cyclical book which is perfect for understanding the nature of the life cycle - and its unending beauty.


Title: The Tiny Seed
Author/Illustrator: Eric Carle
Publisher: Puffin, $14.95 RRP
Publication Date: 28 August 1997
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780140557138
For ages: 4 - 10
Type: Picture Book