[.ca] The Carrot Seed Board Book (ISBN 0694004928)

From Amazon.com:
Ruth Krauss, author of A Hole Is to Dig, has crafted a story almost Zen-like in its simplicity. A little boy plants a carrot seed and waits patiently, tending to it carefully, while everyone around him insists that "it won't come up." His conviction is steadfast, however, and sure enough, a carrot worthy of first prize at any state fair springs forth from the earth. Krauss's husband, Crockett Johnson (creator of Harold and the Purple Crayon), illustrated The Carrot Seed, and while the little boy is rendered with uncomplicated lines, all of his hope, confidence, and serenity shine through. The image that resonates most strongly in this minimalist tale is the unfaltering faith of the mild-mannered little boy. Young readers learn that standing your ground in the face of opposition and doubt can often result in twice the reward expected (even thrice the reward, if judging by the girth of this carrot). (Ages 4 to 8)

simple book about perseverance:
This simple, short book is about a boy who plants a carrot seed. Everyone tells him it will not grow, but he perseveres and in the end is vindicated. A nice (and important) lesson for children. Illustrations are by Crockett Johnson, the author's husband, who gave us the Harold and the Purple Crayon books.

Sweet without being overwhelming:
When the New York Public Library announced its "100 Children's Picture Books Everyone Should Know" for 2003, I had never heard of "The Carrot Seed". It isn't as if the author and illustrator are unknown. After all, illustrator Crockett Johnson welded the pen that created "Harold's Purple Crayon". Yet the book recommended on this list is certainly one of his lesser known titles. "The Carrot Seed" is a simple story of a boy and his burgeoning carrot. Informed by his family members, one by one, that his carrot will not grow and that any actions to help it are useless, he ignores them bravely. Initially when I looked at this book I was certain that its protagonist sported a yarmulke. This is not the case. I believe it is more of a jaunty cap. The book itself is very straightforward, with accompanying pictures of relative simplicity. Additionally, the payoff at the end is sweet and funny, but not particularly unexpected. You're not going to find any real surprises in this book and, admittedly, I'm a little amazed that it's so well remembered. Much of its popularity stems, I'm sure, from the lesson learned. This is a book about the benefits of perseverance. If that's your cup of tea, so be it. But if you'd like to delve into some of Crockett's better works, check out "Harold's Purple Crayon" or his little known (but lovely) comic strip "Barnaby".

Naysayers:
I do not feel the important lesson from this book is simple perserverance (as others have said). Nor do I feel it is about blind faith. The lesson I take from it is perseverance in the face of all the naysayers in life who would bring you down with them. Dare to dream big, work hard, and have faith in oneself in the face of adversity. This is the only children's book I have seen with such a theme.

My favorite book then, my favorite book now:
My parents gave me the paperback version of this book as a child many years ago (which I still have), and I recall reading it over and over and over during my formative years. My mom bought me the hardback version again when I graduated from high school. I am nearly 30 years old now, and I still gravitate toward the very simple yet profound message it teaches all of us: have a quiet childlike faith, trust, persist, persevere and you will be richly rewarded. Today, I run a $2.5 million a year professional organization, and we recently completed a large corporate visioning project for the next several years. I read Krauss' book at the close of the first phase of our vision meeting. My colleagues--with a cumulative total of nearly 75 years of professional business experience--spontaneously applauded at the end of the book, no joke! I also purchased several copies of the book to give to my team as a reminder of the core values it espouses--simple, yet profound values that will guide us and lead us to the next level. It is a book of timeless value that touches my heart each time I read it--and one that you, your child, your family, your peers, or your colleagues will treasure for years to come. Buy it and share it with others, if you haven't done so already.

Have a little kid? Need this one!:
Don't be misled by the teachings that small children only like bright colored books. Trust me, I am a mother of 4, and this book is on the top 10 most read list with my boys. It is a story of faith, hope and perseverance. It is a great quick read. It is perfect when you are too tired to get through a long book. A long time ago, BC, Before Children, I never would have considered "Horton Hears a Who" a long book, but after trying to read it, tired, to a 2 year old, I found out how long some of the classics are. If you have little ones, forget the long books, find short treasures like "The Carrot Seed", "Harold and the Purple Crayon", "Are you My Mother?", and the Sandra Boynton books. You'll have time later for the longer books.