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Synopsis
A charming bilingual picture book for ages 3-7 illustrates the simple joys of gardening and time spent with loved ones. Marisol & her grandfather prepare the ground & plant many seeds, including sunflower seeds. Their tender relationship is illuminated with warm illustrations by Alisha Gambino.
Children's Literature
Seven-year-old Marisol proudly tells how she helps her grandfather prepare the ground and plant seeds to grow vegetables, spices, and finally, sunflowers. These last are the first to grow. Her grandfather likes to eat the seeds, and gives Marisol a small bag of them. Instead of eating them, she decides to plant them. She puts a seed in a corner of the yards she passes on the way to school and even three in the playground. As days pass, Marisol almost forgets about the seeds she has planted, but one day she hears her neighbor exclaim at the sunflower in her yard. The other yards have blooming flowers as well. Marisol is happy to have her planting bring pleasure. She discusses the eating as well as the planting of the seeds. Then she is ready to plant pumpkin seeds for Halloween. Full-page paintings have a solid, folksy quality, depicting the story with strong emphasis on the characters, particularly perky Marisol. There is a glow to the illustrations that enhances the flow of the events, which are rather ordinary with the exception of the germination and growth of all the seeds. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz