Guest Post: Children's Author Viji K Chary

Science And More

When my son, Hrishikesh, was young, my husband and I encouraged him to explore and discover the world around him. We did as many math, science and art projects as we could. One afternoon, Hrishikesh and I decided to plant seeds in small pots. After we were finished, he walked proudly towards the house with his pot. He tripped over the threshold. The soil and seeds scattered all over the floor. This was the incident that sparked this story.

As Hrishikesh attended preschool, kindergarten and first grade, I noticed that the science curriculum covered plants and their growth each year. In first grade, the textbook publisher recommended specific picture books that correlated with the chapter.

As the years passed and this story grew in my mind, I decided to tie the incident to elementary science. For a young child, reading Porcupine’s Seeds would reinforce the idea that soil, sun and water are needed to sprout seeds.

As I finished the manuscript, I realized the book had more to offer than just the science concept. In this fast-paced world of instant gratification, Porcupine works hard to plant the seeds. He knows it will take weeks for the first flower to bloom, yet he is willing to put it the work. He waters his seeds, “today, the next day, and the day after that”.

Problem solving is a great asset in the world of children and adults. Porcupine has problems at each turn of events. Yet, Porcupine finds a solution for each one.  Even after his greatest setback, Porcupine finds a way to grow sunflowers.

Finally, Porcupine’s Seeds shows a growth in Porcupine’s self-esteem as he realizes that he can grow seeds. His internal conversation grows more positive as he solves each problem. Hopefully, young readers and listeners can reflect this in their own lives.

Porcupine’s Seeds has much to offer – learning science concepts, appreciating hard work, and building self-esteem.