The Carrot Seed (Rise and Shine)

When I first received the book I was concerned about a number of library stamps in the book. The seller offered me a full refund and the book as well! I accepted a partial refund. I bought dome stickers and Grandson Liam now has a wonderful copy of a marvelous classic. Thanks to an honest and sincere seller

My daughter is a beginning reader. After completing "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons," she was able to jump right in and read all but 2-3 of the words in this book. She also likes the story and when it's her turn to pick the book, "The Carrot Seed" is the one she picks most often.

I'm pretty disappointed with the content in this book. I thought that there would be more if a story, but it's a very basic reader. Not worth the $6 I paid for it. I wish I had known, I wouldn't have purchased it. I'll be giving it away to a much younger child. It would be good for a 1-2 year old.

The small and simple story sends a message of 'keep at it' even if family members tell you it won't work. In fact, the success turns out to be way out of proportion. It really doesn't have to be that way. Looking for another book on the subject.

This story written by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Crockett Johnson can be the the perfect first book for a youngster to read not just because it consists of the first words a human being learns in life such as: little, father, mother and brother, but also, the book teaches the first lesson one should learn in life. And even though the pictures in the book (on every other page) might seem to appear somewhat boring, the message this book delivers is of humungous proportions and might give birth to the visions and ideas that can be full of excitement.
It is not a huge lack of luck of not encountering this little but at the same time great book when a baby just learns to read, it is lack of luck of not having an educated person's assistance in helping reading and understanding the key element in order to unlock the book's message and teach the little youngster that it's not only a vegetable he or she can grow from a seed. It is the really educated teacher or parent who can really see through the metaphor of the "the carrot" and truly understand that it's not even about the orange vegetable full of vitamin after all.
By reading this book alone, a child might just "not get it" and so the book will be of no value and leave the young reader wondering if the gigantic carrot really exists. But with just a little assistance from really educated someone who "really gets it" and helps the young reader to interpret the story and understand the true authentic message in it, this book will deliver the life's most valuable lesson that only a few people ever learn in their whole lifetime. It might be just a coincidence that the story's word count of 101 and the first and the most important lesson in life are in the same book. It's unfortunate that not all people learn it, including the adults.

I can hardly believe I'm reviewing this book. This was my favorite book as a kid and may even be my earliest memory of a book that I read by myself and thought, "wow, what a great book". This was back in the first grade (at least 20 years ago) and I still remember the book very clearly, even down to holding it in my hand, turning the pages, and looking at the illustrations. I was really taken back by this nostalgic memory when I came across this item. Funnily enough, its contents are more poignant to me now that I look back at my childhood than they were to me at the time. I can say that it certainly enriched my love of reading, which is so important at a young age. Kids today might laugh at the idea of being captivated by a simple picture book when they probably already have an iPhone, but classics never get old. Bring your kids up on books like this and they might still turn out okay ... if the iPhone hasn't already rotted their cerebral cortex.

When the New York Public Library announced its "100 Children's Picture Books Everyone Should Know" for 2003, I had never heard of "The Carrot Seed". It isn't as if the author and illustrator are unknown. After all, illustrator Crockett Johnson welded the pen that created "Harold's Purple Crayon". Yet the book recommended on this list is certainly one of his lesser known titles.
"The Carrot Seed" is a simple story of a boy and his burgeoning carrot. Informed by his family members, one by one, that his carrot will not grow and that any actions to help it are useless, he ignores them bravely. Initially when I looked at this book I was certain that its protagonist sported a yarmulke. This is not the case. I believe it is more of a jaunty cap. The book itself is very straightforward, with accompanying pictures of relative simplicity. Additionally, the payoff at the end is sweet and funny, but not particularly unexpected. You're not going to find any real surprises in this book and, admittedly, I'm a little amazed that it's so well remembered. Much of its popularity stems, I'm sure, from the lesson learned. This is a book about the benefits of perseverance. If that's your cup of tea, so be it. But if you'd like to delve into some of Crockett's better works, check out "Harold's Purple Crayon" or his little known (but lovely) comic strip "Barnaby".

We were given this book, along with many others for our daughter at her birth. It turned out that this book was the first one that she took to. At 3 months, she would not sit still to read books. At 5 months, she would sit very quietly as The Carrot Seed was being read to her, and studied the drawings as the pages turned, though she paid no heed to any other book. By 6 months, she regularly complained when the reading was over to demand an encore. The simplicity of language and repetitive nature of the drawings created an easy environment for her to focus on, and made the appearance of the carrot at the end wonderfully exciting. By 8 months, she would anticipate the carrot's popping out of the ground by cooing and clapping her hands before the page was turned. A beautiful, classic book.

Don't be misled by the teachings that small children only like bright colored books. Trust me, I am a mother of 4, and this book is on the top 10 most read list with my boys. It is a story of faith, hope and perseverance. It is a great quick read. It is perfect when you are too tired to get through a long book.
A long time ago, BC, Before Children, I never would have considered "Horton Hears a Who" a long book, but after trying to read it, tired, to a 2 year old, I found out how long some of the classics are.
If you have little ones, forget the long books, find short treasures like "The Carrot Seed", "Harold and the Purple Crayon", "Are you My Mother?", and the Sandra Boynton books. You'll have time later for the longer books.

Though the story is simple, the message is grand. If you want to teach your children the value of persistence, this would be a very nice book to add to your children's library.
As the little boy is repeatedly told his efforts are in vain, he quietly goes about his business and, in the end, he is rewarded for his labor. You can use this story to help your children overcome the naysayers they are sure to encounter in life. (Of course, they will also need to learn the value of listening to and heeding wise advice - but that can always be taught from another story.)

The Carrot Seed is a delightful story about a little boy who plants a little seed. Everyone, except the little boy, believes that the seed will not grow into a carrot. The little boy cares for the seed, by weeding and watering. He is persistent, even though the ground continues to be bare. Then, a carrot appears. The last page is a precious illustration of the little boy wheeling about with a gigantic carrot. Children can relate to this little boy and his attempt to do something without the help or support of others. This story will cause both the reader and the hearer to root for the little guy. The story is predictable, because it is assumed that the carrot will grow from the little seed. The little boy's work must be rewarded, because this is the way that things are supposed to happen. This story implicitly teaches that diligence and persistence reap rewards. The illustrations are simple, constructed with simple lines and shades of brown. The only thing of a bright color is the carrot, the little boy's prize. The illustrations are not distracting, but enhance the story. The language is clear and concise, with some repetition. The repeated lines "It won't come up." and "Nothing came up." offer opportunities for interaction.

Classroom Activity: After completing the story, the students will plant seeds in cups. Older children will chart the progress through drawing and dictated journal entries.

Age Group: This book can be read aloud to 3 through 5 year olds, while independent reading is recommended for late 1st graders.

My little boy loves this story.
The simple pictures and the simple story line makes this a sure winner for little kids. The repetitive nature in the beginning leads to prereading skills. The moral is lovely.
I like books that you can use as a jump start to other activities. We planted beans the other day to see if they would grow. Very nice book.

My two year old falls asleep with this one! Every time I read "The Carrot Seed" to my 2 and 4-year old they cheer the ending. As each family member tells the little boy, "It won't come up." my kids reply, "Que pasa, what's up with that?"; learning that though mommy, daddy, and big brother may be older, they are not always correct. A classic that every parent should have!

I do not feel the important lesson from this book is simple perserverance (as others have said). Nor do I feel it is about blind faith. The lesson I take from it is perseverance in the face of all the naysayers in life who would bring you down with them. Dare to dream big, work hard, and have faith in oneself in the face of adversity. This is the only children's book I have seen with such a theme.

The Carrot Seed is one of my favorite toddler books. Simple pictures, easy to remember text . . . my son greatly enjoyed this book while he was two and three. I have given it as a gift to several people. We also enjoy "The Happy Egg." (Same author/illustrator)

This short children's book about a child planting and caring for a carrot seed is a simple, yet profound, lesson on how faith works. It is one of the best books on faith that I have read - even for adults.