Bad Seed

Bad Seed

Author: Jory John

Illustrator: Pete Oswald

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 40

Language: English

ISBN-10: 006246776X
ISBN-13: 978-0062467768

Date: 2017

Publisher: Harper Collins

Price: $11.73 (as of the time of this post)

Where to buy: Amazon

I believe in redemption. 

I think that it's too easy to judge people harshly over a long period of time based on a bad choice or two in the past. 

People can change, so can seeds evidently.

After a recent issue in my own offline life, where a chance at redemption was offered to a student that I work with, I walked into the library at my school this afternoon and see this book on the shelf...staring at me.

This is a wonderful book with a message that every child needs to hear.

You can do "bad" things but can still turn it around and become a better, if only slightly less "bad", person. If you can do that, who knows what you can become if you put in some effort.

We have the story of a sunflower seed gone "bad". It used to be good but outside forces and circumstances caused a shift of some kind, and like Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader,  he/she turns to the dark side.

Is there redemption for this unfortunate little seed? 

Yes, perhaps not total redemption, but a glimmer of hope for the future.

It is a message that every child should hear and the words by Mr. John and illustrations by Mr. Oswald make it a story that every child can access and connect with I think if given the chance. 

Hey, it moved me enough to write a post about it, my first in a long time.

Content: 5/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Concept: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Price: 5/5

Books About Consequence: Not My Hat

Not My Hat 

• by: Jon Klassen 
• Illustrations by the author. 
• Hardcover: 40 pages 
• Language: English 
• ISBN: 0763655996 
• ISBN 13: 978-0763655990 
• Date: 2012 
• Price (as of the date of this post): $9.99 (Amazon without shipping) 
• Where to buy? Amazon.com

I LOVE this book! I really like books that make kids laugh but also cause them to think and this one does. Books of consequence, like When Charlie McButton Lost Power and Whatever teach through entertaining story lines and expressive illustrations. This is another book from that shelf.

Fans of Mr. Klassen will recognize familiar themes from his other book, I Want My Hat Back. Some may dismiss it as a retread of the first book and for them I am sorry.

In both books an animal has something stolen, goes looking for it and there are consequences for the perpetrator. But the genius of Not My Hat over I Want My Hat Back is that the story is told from the perspective of the perpetrator and not the victim. We hear child-like explanations throughout and they are spot on.

The illustrations by the author have an earthy and organic feel to them. They are beautiful and suit the story telling perfectly. I particularly like the expressions on the victim's face as the story progresses.

This is a great book, there I go repeating myself, but really...a great book. He is a Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Award winner after all. Go get it.

Content: 5/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Concept: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Price: 5/5