Sunflower Seeds

by Ellen Heck

How does an enormous yellow sunflower grow from a tiny striped seed? The kids in Ms. B’s class find out through this exciting spring project. 

Come see the process from one eager child’s point of view as dusty seeds planted in cups by the windowsill face the challenges of kindergarten, a rainstorm, and deer at dusk. 

Watch from up close as the seedlings sprout, spiky green buds develop, and flowers bloom. Then, at the end of the summer, find out how many new seeds grew from just one giant sunflower!

Let this glowing introduction to the life cycle of a plant—and broadly, to all growth cycles in our lives—inspire you to start a new project with family, friends, or your own classroom.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, School, Childrens, Gardening, Plants, Stem

48 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book about a kindergarten classroom growing sunflower seedlings together! I was captivated by the gorgeous illustrations made with thick paint and negative space. In a sea of picture books with digitally-created art, this was refreshing and exciting. Poetic and lovely text, all around a spot-on book.

Themes: Growing, Flowers, Summer, School
Age range: Preschool-Early Elementary

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated, informative picture book with a fictional story about a child at school learning a lesson about sunflower seeds. The child plants three sunflower seeds in Ms. B's class and is able to take them home for the summer. The child shares the process of the seeds' life cycles as they experience it. Once the child returns to school for the next year, they visit Ms. B to share what happened to their sunflower seeds. It's a really great story, and the illustrations are phenomenally radiant! I have purchased a copy for our local public library. I also plan to bring it home to share/read with my own children.

[Kelly Boggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. The paintings are so textured you can almost feel them. The colors are rich and dreamy and the diversity of the people on the pages is beautiful.

The story is about a Kindergarten teacher who has her class each plant 3 sunflower seeds. They watch them grow and take them home and replant them and see all the many seeds that come from one flower/seed. I love how she tells them a poem to let them know that part of the process is that some flowers are for rain or for the bird, meaning they won't all grow to be a big flower. Highly recommend this picture book, so many things could be discussed in reading this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, well-written telling of an activity shared in many kindergarten classes around the world- growing seeds!
The illustrations are lush and rich, very earthy. The language is simple, yet descriptive in a deep way. Very relatable to a former kindergarten teacher and lover of sunflowers. A definite purchase for any library.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 5 out of 5]

BREATHTAKING illustrations made with oil paintings! The story was long but beautiful about children growing sunflower seeds into a giant sunflower plant. This would be a great story for elementary teachers to read at the end of the school year.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully painted illustrations

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture book. I always look out for books about gardening, but I think this one would have caught my eye anyway thanks to the beautiful illustrations. The art note says they are oil on brown paper, but it is truly reminiscent of looking at paintings in a museum. The story itself features a class of students who start sunflower seeds in class and then take them home over the summer. The teacher gives each student three seeds: "one for the birds, one for the rain, and one to grow." As the challenges change, the words do too, but the message is there that not every seed you sow will turn into a healthy plant. The text is too long for a preschool storytime but could be read for bedtime or with an older class. And be sure to spend time appreciating the rich colors in the pictures.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bright and sunny illustrations which are totally appropriate for the subject of sunflowers as we see a kindergarten class planting three sunflower seeds each, summer vacation arrives, and we watch one student and his three seeds on their way to maturity as the student matures into a first grader. Very pleasing story for this grower of flowers. Illustrations were done on brown paper using oils and wow that combination produced very rich colors. If Ellen Heck is eligible for the Caldecott award, she is on my list of nominees.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five-star fabulous! This introduction to the lifecycle of a plant—and to all growth cycles in our lives—shows how a sunflower seed sprouts into a seedling and blooms into a gorgeous flower. How many of us remember conducting the same experiment as Ms. B and her class in elementary school? Dynamic paintings illustrate the magic of discovery, the joys of scientific exploration, and the rewards to be reaped from reading. Bravo!

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's brushy, oil painted illustrations are vibrant and inviting, and the story of a classroom that planted sunflower seeds at the end of the school year, and on student's experience of growing them at home, walks the reader through the sunflower's life cycle from seed to flower to seed in the least didactic way possible. A delight.

[Dylan Teut · Rating 5 out of 5]

We just witnessed a crop of giant sunflowers blossom, produce seed, and provide for nature.
This book is as majestic and stimulates as much inquiry as the process of growing, watching, and providing.
I am off to buy more sunflower seeds to plant.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

About sunflowers that are grown in a classroom and then bloom over the summer with thousands of seeds. Has facts that are part of the story and shows how the plant grows and changes over time. The images are painted like paintings are are textured, bright and perfect for a sunflower book.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't get a lot of children's picture books with really thick, impasto oil paintings. These illustrations are great. I will be shocked if the Caldecott committee isn't talking about this book. The story is great to use in an early elementary classroom and has great extension activities.

[GS Dachslove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too long for story time. But a beautiful book detailing the process of growing a sunflower plant.

[Marilyn DeVries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully told.

[Brionna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gem of a book. The illustrations are amazing and the story is adorable. I read this book with my daughter, and she was fascinated with the artwork.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of wonder and augmented by facts, we see a life cycle in the thick brushstrokes of deep colors. A kindergarten teacher walks her pupils through the planting and waiting, waiting, waiting.

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book!

[Angie Quantrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely! I would certainly use this book if I was teaching preschoolers and kindergartners! Beautiful illustrations and realistic sunflower life cycle story.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a teacher preparing the students to learn about plant life cycles with sunflower seeds they plant at school and take home. These illustrations offer an almost dreamy surreal

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, but not a fan of the illustrations.