National Trust: Sam Plants a Sunflower

I was very excited when I saw that a book from my childhood had been redesigned and republished by none other than the extremely talented Axel Scheffler!  Sam Plants a Sunflower is the perfect mix of narrative and information for any young budding gardener. What's more, this book is brought to us by Nosy Crow in partnership with the National Trust as part of a whole series of books about planting and growing.

Of course, Axel Scheffler is known best for his partnership with Julia Donaldson and for his Pip and Posy series. His illustrative style compliments this series perfectly and gives a familiar, homely feel. Sam the tabby cat is so full of character and emotion. He takes us on the rollercoaster ride of gardening from the joy of planting to the anxious wait for something to grow. Sam oozes pride when showing his kitty friends the fully-grown sunflowers.

The sunflower facts are gently delivered to us by the help of an adorable helpful ladybird.  On the final page, we learn some more top tips for growing sunflower seeds with a 'how to' guide. You'll be an avid sunflower grower by the time you've finished this book, so I'd recommend getting some seeds and pots at the ready!

This book will perfectly compliment any EYFS setting where children can get hands-on and reenact what they've encountered in the story. This book teaches such an important life skill and looking after our planet is important now more than ever before.

Board book / Reviewed by Jessica Bunney, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 0+