Sunflower House

by Eve Bunting, Kathryn Hewitt (Illustrator)

Overview

A charming tale about inventive children who plant some summer fun.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780152019525
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/19/1999
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	267,694
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere.

Kathryn Hewitt's caricatures of famous figures led kids to dub the Lives of . . . series the "Big Head" books. She has illustrated many books for young readers, some of which she also wrote. She lives in Santa Monica, California. Visit her website at www.kathrynhewitt.com.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Lyrical rhyming text with lush illustrations.”—American Bookseller
"Creative and charming.”—School Library Journal
"Primary and preschool teachers will find this a colorful, child-appealing addition to units on plants.”—Booklist

Editorial Reviews

"Lyrical rhyming text with lush illustrations.”—American Bookseller
"Creative and charming.”—School Library Journal
"Primary and preschool teachers will find this a colorful, child-appealing addition to units on plants.”—Booklist
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From the Publisher

PreS-K-Another story about the life cycle of growing things-in this case, mammoth sunflowers-planted in a way that captures the imagination. A young boy plants the seeds in a large circle. He waters them and waits patiently until they grow taller than himself, with huge nodding blossoms that form a perfect "sunflower house." He and two friends play in the "house" all summer, even sleeping in it one night, until the leaves turn brown and the stems fall down. Then they fill their pockets with the seeds, the birds eat some, and the rest are left on the ground to grow again next summer. Bunting's idea is creative and charming, with poetic and romantic aspects. Unfortunately, the text, written in rhymed couplets, is not wholly successful. At times, the rhyme scheme seems strained and the meter becomes singsongy. The bright illustrations, done in watercolor and colored pencil, are reminiscent of this team's Flower Garden (Harcourt, 1994). They are realistic and add interesting details that extend the brief text. Despite its flaws, the book could spark an interest in the cycle of nature.-Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT

School Library Journal