Carried on the Wind: It Starts with a Seed

PreS-Gr 2–A child’s sigh sends a cloud of dandelion seeds on a journey, kicking off a chain of events that span the globe in this meditative picture book. Woven in poetic prose, the narrative flows from a meadow in Alaska to rivers in Central America to the savannahs of West Africa and back again. The storytelling is complemented by nature facts that are visually differentiated by font and placement on the page. This juxtaposition makes for a versatile reading experience; an adult reading aloud could choose to focus on the story, making for a soothing bedtime ritual for a very young listener. Alternatively, they could include both fact and fiction for a STEM lesson geared toward a slightly older audience. Large, vibrant illustrations give readers dazzling up-close views of hummingbirds, dragonflies, and elephants as the story unfolds. The only human character to appear is a tan-skinned little girl who appears to be native Alaskan. An author’s note provides context about the natural sequence presented in the story and touches upon chaos theory. A glossary defines some of the more advanced words used in the text like “matriarch” and “pollination.”