Mommy's Little Sunflowers
What’s inside...
Scurry is going to grow a sunflower for his mommy. But disaster strikes when his little brother, Scamp, eats the only sunflower seed! The pair set off in search for more and embark upon a very big adventure. A warm and sunny sibling tale about growing, giving, and sharing.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
3-7
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How did Sven and Mommy feel when they lost the special sunflower seed, and what did they do about it?
Why do you think the sunflowers are important to Mommy and Sven?
What would you do if you were Sven and found the biggest sunflower at the end?
How do the sunflowers in the story help Sven and Mommy's relationship grow?
What did you learn about how plants grow from this story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Use expressive reading to convey the emotions of Sven and Mommy, enhancing the child’s understanding of the characters' feelings.
Pause after dramatic moments in the story to ask your child how they think the characters felt, promoting empathy and emotional awareness.
Discuss the lifecycle of a sunflower, linking it to the storyline to spark curiosity about nature and science.
Relate the story to personal experiences, such as a time when your child tried growing a plant or lost something important, to deepen the connection with the story.
Encourage your child to predict what might happen next at various points in the story, fostering critical thinking and engagement.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Importance of Responsibility
Explanation: The story follows a child who takes care of a sunflower seed with the hope it will grow into a big sunflower. This process teaches them the responsibility of nurturing something daily.
Real-World Application: Children can learn the value of being responsible by taking care of their own plants or pets at home, understanding that their actions directly impact the growth and well-being of something else.
Example Lesson: Understanding Consequences
Explanation: The narrative illustrates that forgetting to water the plant leads to the sunflower not growing as expected. This helps children understand the consequences of neglecting their duties.
Real-World Application: Kids can apply this lesson by realizing that their actions, like doing homework and chores, have direct outcomes on their daily lives and future.
Example Lesson: Patience and Perseverance
Explanation: The child waits patiently for the sunflower to grow, showing that some things take time and require perseverance.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the value of patience and persistence in achieving goals, whether it's waiting for a birthday or working towards a difficult task at school.
Example Lesson: Appreciation for Nature
Explanation: Through the growth of the sunflower, the book provides an opportunity for children to learn about and appreciate the natural world around them.
Real-World Application: Children are encouraged to explore more outdoor activities, learn gardening, or participate in environmental conservation efforts to develop a deeper understanding and respect for nature.
Example Lesson: Coping with Disappointment
Explanation: When the sunflower doesn’t grow as big as hoped, the child learns to cope with the disappointment in a constructive manner.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children understand that not all efforts have the desired outcome and teaches them to handle disappointment positively by finding other solutions or accepting situations.