Author: Caryl Lewis
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa
What do you get when you combine a young boy with too much on his shoulders, an inspiring friend, an eccentric grandfather, and a giant pumpkin? Seed, the 2022 release from Welsh author Caryl Lewis. It is her English language debut and was chosen as an Oklahoma Sequoyah book this year. Seed is a beautiful, quirky middle grade novel that is a delight to read at any age.
Marty is just trying to be a normal kiddo, but with an absent father and a mother who hoards everything in their house, life isn’t easy for him. When his grandfather gifts him a seed on his birthday, Marty’s world opens up in ways he never could have imagined. He has always dreamt of seeing the Eiffel Tower but never has had the money to go there. Enter, Grandad’s latest outlandish idea: add an engine and a sail and turn the pumpkin into a boat! Soon, Marty, his new friend Gracie, and Grandad are feeding the plant seaweed tea, eggshells, bird manure, and more to try to grow it as large as they can. But when the growth stalls out, they discover, with the help of their neighbors, that the only way for the pumpkin to keep growing is if people are brave enough to tell it their wildest dreams. Will it work? Can they actually sail down the Seine to Paris?
It takes a little stretch of the imagination to picture a giant floating pumpkin, but Seed is so charming and fun. It’s got wonderful lessons on friendship and following your dreams, and with the delightful characters, I can only hope for a sequel. Whether a kiddo wants to plant a seed of an idea or a seed of a plant, this book is a wonderful read for them.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of Seed today!
