When a little boy plants a carrot seed, everyone tells him it won't grow. It will be completely understandable to the young, quite unanswerable to the young, quite unanswerable to adults, and deeply satisfying to both. The Carrot Seed, having to do with a little boy and his personal carrot seed, is a very refreshing book all around. A parade of nay-sayers drop by to tell the boy, 'I'm afraid it won't come up.' The big moment is a stupendous surprise.the little hero's homegrown triumph.' - 'Parenting' 'In this cunningly paced fable about patience and standing one's ground, a little boy plants a carrot seed, weeds and waters the spot, and waits for something to happen. 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). The image that resonates most strongly in this minimalist tale is the unfaltering faith of the mild-mannered little boy.

The Carrot Seed, and while the little boy is rendered with uncomplicated lines, all of his hope, confidence, and serenity shine through. Krauss's husband, Crockett Johnson (creator of ), illustrated 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. Ruth Krauss, author of, has crafted a story almost Zen-like in its simplicity. First published in 1945 and never out of print, the timeless combination of Ruth Krauss's simple text and Crockett Johnson's eloquent illustrations creates a triumphant and deeply satisfying story for readers of all ages. This beloved classic celebrates patience, determination, and believing in yourself. So he waters his seed, and pulls the weeds, and he waits. But when you are very young, there are some things that you just know, and the little boy knows that one day a carrot will come up.

Celebrate 75 years of The Carrot Seed with a new foreword from Caldecott Honor picture book creator Kevin Henkes!

The carrot seed book