Seeds and Trees
Written by Brandon Walden
llustrated by Kristen& Kevin Howdeshell
I have to admit when I read the “Letter From the Author,” I became a little skeptical about whether or not this would be a well written book. Luckily, it turns out that it is written just fine. The story uses tree seeds as a metaphor for words and that words can be kind, supportive, and respectful (green seeds) or the opposite (dark seeds). In the beginning the prince gathers, plants, and nurtures both the green and the dark seeds, and both kinds flourish. After years, he realizes that the trees from the dark seeds were overtaking the trees from the green seeds. Fortunately, the prince has a friend, who helps him to get rid of the dark trees and only replace them by planting green seeds. The author conveys a message through this imaginary story in a way that children will probably be able to relate to. The illustrations are not only lovely, but they really depict the differences between the dark trees and the green trees. Children from 4-9 years old will enjoy reading and discussing the ideas in this book.
