A Picture Book a Day for a Year: Day 92

Picture Book: Glenna Seeds

Author: Nancy Edwards

Illustrator: Sarah K. Hoctor

Summary: Glenna and Amy are walking home carrying packs of seeds given to them on the occasion of garden day at school. Seeing a neighbor’s empty flower pot, Glenna spontaneously leaves a pack of seeds. Glenna’s tiny act of kindness, multiplies across several neighbors as they make wrong assumptions about who gave their anonymous gifts and reciprocate with their own gifts.  

Hanna’s Comments: This inspiring book illustrates how one small gesture of kindness can expand into positive and transformative forces. If you are able to purchase a new book, a pack of seeds may be included. If this book is too complicated for your children, consider reading instead One Good Deed by Terri Fields (illustrator Deborah Melmon). In the back, this book explains the Jewish commandment to do a Mitzvah. The word Mitzvah literally means “commandment” but the word has come to mean doing a good deed.

Publisher & Date of Publication: Child Welfare League of America, 2001

Age & Grade Appropriateness: 4 and up, Pre and up

# of Pages: 24

Available in Spanish? Not at present

Formats other than Book: None at present

PBT Category: Rare but Worth the Search

PBT Topics this Book Connects with: abundance/bounty, action, blessings, body of Christ, bonds/connections, communication, community, eggs/seeds, feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, flowers/leaves/trees, friends/friendship, gardening/planting/pruning/sowing, generosity/giving/offering/stewardship, goodness, gratitude/thankfulness/thanksgiving, harvest, home, image of God, kindness, neighbors, neighborhood, nurturing, pleasing God/the Shema, possessions, power, relationships, righteousness, sanctification, secrets, sharing, treasure, variety

Scripture Connections: First fruits (Nehemiah 10:35, Proverbs 3:9-10); seed parables (Matthew 13)

Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to children or youth before they do a mission project.