What will grow?

In this appealing, botanical companion book to What Will Hatch? (2013), Ward and Ghahremani explore what grows from seeds. Each double-page spread begins with a few descriptive, rhyming words on the left side, followed by the question What will grow? The answer appears on the right-hand page, and four of these are gatefolds opening upward, downward, or outward to reveal dramatically larger scenes. While most of the simply worded clues work well, Flowery Fruit. / Orange Root may confuse kids, since few would think of carrots as having flowers or fruit. Still, the downward-opening flap in this section, revealing the carrots growing below ground level, is one of the most beautiful and effective in the book. Featuring rounded, simplified botanical forms, the book's decorative gouache paintings are playful and satisfying. The back matter includes a two-page section of how-to directions for planting the 12 seeds mentioned (acorn/oak, apple, carrot, dandelion, lettuce, milkweed, pea, pumpkin, sunflower, pine, radish, tomato) and another that shows four stages of plant growth. A satisfying, interactive picture book for reading aloud.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist

In a quietly lovely follow-up to 2013's What Will Hatch? Ward repeats the question of the title as she describes a dozen varieties of seeds and the plants and trees they grow into. "Roly, round./ Rain-soaked ground./ What will grow?/ Peas," She begins as a yellow worm peers at pea plants snaking up a trellis. Ghahremani's art is playful yet refined, and the soft textures of the wood she paints on bring warmth to vignettes of dandelion-laden meadows, pumpkins stalked by a fox, and frosty winter fields. Well-integrated gatefolds add drama to some scenes, opening vertically to accommodate towering sunflowers or subterranean carrots ("Flowery fruit./ Orange root"). It's an enchanting vision of how strikingly different seeds and plants can be, and closing notes explain how and when to plant all 12 types of seeds. Ages 3-6. Agent: Stefanie Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

PreS-This bucolic companion to Ward's What Will Hatch? captures the magic and excitement of planting a garden and waiting for it to bloom. In simple rhyming couplets, Ward highlights seeds of all shapes and sizes, including sunflower seeds ("Stripy black./Crunchy snack.") and dandelion seeds ("Fluffy, white./Taking flight."). Each short verse is followed by the question, "What will grow?" The sunflowers and dandelions flourish beside peas, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, radishes, and milkweed, along with apple, oak, and pine trees. Ghahremani's striking images, replete with light and texture, are painted with gouache on wood and feature whimsical hand-lettering. The opening pages show "roly, round" peas thriving against a background of soft greens and tans while shining raindrops fall gently to the ground. Woodland creatures like rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and even a fox appear among the verdant greenery in each spread. Four gatefold illustrations will appeal to children's sense of wonder, and informative back matter instructs aspiring gardeners on when and how to sow the showcased seeds. VERDICT Pair this tranquil snapshot of plant life with Elly MacKay's If You Hold a Seed or Julie Fogliano's And Then It's Spring, and encourage young readers to get outside to do some planting of their own.-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Pine cones. Acorns. Dandelion fuzz. Sunflower seeds. Children are delighted by these natural treasures. But what will become of these little nuggets of life?Ward and Ghahremani follow up their book What Will Hatch? (2013) with this second rhyming and riddling book on seeds. Hand-lettered descriptions provide bare clues: "Shiny, brown. Bumpy crown. / What will grow?" Gouache-on-wood illustrations in an earthy palette on double-page spreads provide visual hints. In the case of the preceding clue, squirrels hold large, brown acorns underneath the riddle on the verso. The answer page on the recto shows more squirrels skittering around a labeled oak tree with its distinctive leaves. Some of the riddles are intentionally vague, demanding that readers examine the pictures. Four of the answer pages are pull-out gatefolds that provide extra surprises. The page with the tall sunflowers opens up, while the page with the orange carrots growing below ground opens down. (Due to this unpredictable opening scheme, adult assistance may be required to reduce damage to the pages.) Yet beyond the riddles, there is a consistency in the content, the muted colors, even the satisfyingly thick recycled paper on which it is printed that reinforces the philosophy of this nature book. Endnotes provide details on the 13 seeds and their sowing times as well as the life cycle from seed to plant. Rich with organic material, this choice is as warm and patient as the ground that nurtures the seeds to new life. (Informational picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this appealing, botanical companion book to What Will Hatch? (2013), Ward and Ghahremani explore what grows from seeds. Each double-page spread begins with a few descriptive, rhyming words on the left side, followed by the question "What will grow?" The answer appears on the right-hand page, and four of these are gatefolds opening upward, downward, or outward to reveal dramatically larger scenes. While most of the simply worded clues work well, "Flowery Fruit. / Orange Root" may confuse kids, since few would think of carrots as having flowers or fruit. Still, the downward-opening flap in this section, revealing the carrots growing below ground level, is one of the most beautiful and effective in the book. Featuring rounded, simplified botanical forms, the book's decorative gouache paintings are playful and satisfying. The back matter includes a two-page section of how-to directions for planting the 12 seeds mentioned (acorn/oak, apple, carrot, dandelion, lettuce, milkweed, pea, pumpkin, sunflower, pine, radish, tomato) and another that shows four stages of plant growth. A satisfying, interactive picture book for reading aloud. Copyright 2016 Booklist Reviews.

In a quietly lovely follow-up to 2013's What Will Hatch? Ward repeats the question of the title as she describes a dozen varieties of seeds and the plants and trees they grow into. "Roly, round./ Rain-soaked ground./ What will grow?/ Peas," sShe begins as a yellow worm peers at pea plants snaking up a trellis. Ghahremani's art is playful yet refined, and the soft textures of the wood she paints on bring warmth to vignettes of dandelion-laden meadows, pumpkins stalked by a fox, and frosty winter fields. Well-integrated gatefolds add drama to some scenes, opening vertically to accommodate towering sunflowers or subterranean carrots ("Flowery fruit./ Orange root"). It's an enchanting vision of how strikingly different seeds and plants can be, and closing notes explain how and when to plant all 12 types of seeds. Ages 3–6. Agent: Stefanie Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Feb.)

PreS—This bucolic companion to Ward's What Will Hatch? captures the magic and excitement of planting a garden and waiting for it to bloom. In simple rhyming couplets, Ward highlights seeds of all shapes and sizes, including sunflower seeds ("Stripy black./Crunchy snack.") and dandelion seeds ("Fluffy, white./Taking flight."). Each short verse is followed by the question, "What will grow?" The sunflowers and dandelions flourish beside peas, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, radishes, and milkweed, along with apple, oak, and pine trees. Ghahremani's striking images, replete with light and texture, are painted with gouache on wood and feature whimsical hand-lettering. The opening pages show "roly, round" peas thriving against a background of soft greens and tans while shining raindrops fall gently to the ground. Woodland creatures like rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and even a fox appear among the verdant greenery in each spread. Four gatefold illustrations will appeal to children's sense of wonder, and informative back matter instructs aspiring gardeners on when and how to sow the showcased seeds. VERDICT Pair this tranquil snapshot of plant life with Elly MacKay's If You Hold a Seed or Julie Fogliano's And Then It's Spring, and encourage young readers to get outside to do some planting of their own.—Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston. Copyright 2016 School Library Journal.