The Marvelous Mustard Seed by Amy-Jill Levine and illustrated by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso was well done. I would absolutely want to see this in a public library. I would hesitate to use it as a read aloud, but may include it in my classroom library if other books depicting stories from other religions were prevalent as well. As a parent, I did appreciate the message and shared this books with my two sons.

The Marvelous Mustard Seed was written by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso. It is a Christian children’s book, and alludes to the parable of the mustard seed in the Bible.
Summary: There isn’t much you can do with a mustard seed but plant it. But once you do, it can grow into something amazing.
My Thoughts: I liked this book. It shows children how a seed grows into a plant, and then into a tree. It also shows kids that even though they are small, they can grow and be something amazing as well. I enjoyed the illustrations-especially the ones that showed what was happening under the ground as the seed grew. There was a thoughtfulness behind each page, and I could really see where they were going with this story. I liked it.
Thank you to Flyaway Books for providing me with a digital copy of this book for my honest review.

The illustrations are wonderful and captivating. The story of the mustard seed is great but the connection to the parable was a little disjointed and unclear. I found it confusing and so did my 5 year old.

My little people love The Marvelous Mustard Seed! I read it to them one evening, and when I was working on writing reviews of several books I had read to them at the same time, my 6-year-old asked me to write about the mustard seed book, too. When I told him, the next day, that I was ready to write about it, he said, “Yahoo!” He was thrilled to get to look at the pictures again, and the 3-year-old wanted to hear the story again, too.
Obviously, this story is based on Jesus' parable of the mustard seed. The pictures in this beautiful picture book help to bring that story to life for young children. At the beginning, two children plant a tiny seed. They can't see the seed after that, but, with the help of sun and rain, it begins to grow and soon everyone can see the tiny shoot. More time passes, and eventually the tiny shoot grows into a big tree that everyone marvels at. Then, the authors compare this tree to the Kingdom of God, showing how tiny beginnings grow into great things with God's help.
There are some nice touches in the pictures. I like the pages at the beginning that show what is happening underground. Another two-page spread shows all the things you can't do with a mustard seed; the only thing you can do with it is plant it! Overall, this is a very simple, but vivid retelling of Jesus's parable. I like it, and obviously my little people do, too.

Jesus loved a good story, and he realized its ability to teach truths to his listeners in a way they could understand. In this book, Jesus' parable about the mustard seed, and what wonderful things we can do with even a tiny bit of faith, comes to life. What does this tiny seed, which grows up to be a marvelous tree, have to teach us about the potential of things?

This is the type of book I like to get for the preschoolers especially since I’m at a Christian school However, I felt the story could have been a little more exciting. I would probably still purchase it for my library.

The Marvelous Mustard Seed is a new book that I received from NetGalley. Follow a mustard seed (obviously 🙃) on its journey from nearly invisible to massive, then the relationship between the Kingdom of God and a Mustard seed is shared very nicely. The idea of patience rewarded and slow but significant growth are key. I liked the illustrations, and the tips for parents and teachers in the back

A colourful book.illustrstions are excellent representation of the Parable of the Mustard Seed, and also the diversity of people. Tbe book lends itself to being read by a child or to children. The provision of notes at the end of the book are belpful.

I really liked the art in this book, it was vibrant and a pleasure to see. The message is also an important one to many and it's nice to see a fairly good representation of this in a children's book. The text and dialogue of characters was fairly lame. Specifically where "the neighbors exclaim" different things, most of them just don't make sense on their own. There's also two pages spent talking about what you can't do with a mustard seed that didn't feel too essential. Again, the art was of very redeeming quality and there's certainly something to be said about the book for people looking to teach this parable to their children.

Though this probably doesn't fall under the category of "favorites" in my mind, this book is a great conversation starter for kids. I think it is a bit advanced for my 3 1/2 year old, but I look forward to reading it with him again in the future.

It gives a great glimpse into the idea that God is at work around us, even though we can't see it, by comparing it to the growth of a seed underground. It offers a great introduction into the concept of parables. On it's own, the meaning is a little difficult to interpret., but there is a discussion guide and "note to parents teachers' at the end. (Though to be completely honest, I didn't find it very helpful!)

The pictures are fun and colorful and it is a visually appealing book. I liked how there were different sizes of text throughout, depending on the context.

A retelling of Jesus' "mustard seed" parable (Matthew 13 in the Bible), this book uses colorful illustrations and simple language to teach children how, similar to mustard seeds, the Kingdom of God has small beginnings but with time and nurturing, grows into something huge and magnificent.

This is a lovely book for children ages 8-12.

'The Marvelous Mustard Seed' by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso with illustrations by Margaux Meganck is a picture book retelling of the parable of the mustard seed that is told by Jesus in the Bible.

Two children plant a mustard seed in the ground. The seed is so small that it can barely be seen. Once it is in the ground, it is hidden from view. Once the tree grows, it can be as large as a tree and provide shade and medicine to people around. In the same way, the children in this story (and the ones reading it) can live up to a much larger potential than they think possible. The book concludes with a section addressed to parents and educators with a series of questions that could be asked.

The illustrations are very nice and colorful. The story is a good adaptation told in a way I think would make children think about it in new ways. The ideas of faith and potential are presented clearly.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Flyaway Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

Jesus talked several times about the mustard seed, the smallest seed that grows into a tree. Many kids The Marvelous Mustard Seed, by Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg, with illustrations by Margaux Meganck, follows a seed from planting to full growth.

have no idea about seeds and plants and surely don't see mustard trees or plants.



When kids plant the seed in their garden, they can't see what's happening underground. Soon a sprout comes up. It becomes a bush, then a tree! Birds live in it, it provides shade, we get spices and medicines from it.



The authors follow Jesus' parable, showing how something we never could see grows into something we can't miss, that is live-giving and wonderful. The Marvelous Mustard Seed is a lovely, colorful book that will get kids thinking about potential and the promise of the kingdom of God.







Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

What a great book! If you read this to your kids (or yourself!) don't be tempted to miss the wealth of messages present here. I could pick several, but here's the one that is still simmering in my mind after reading it for the first time: important things aren't always the most obvious. Be attentive. The author brings God into the picture at just the right time, in my opinion. Better to learn the lesson first and then see how God is in it, than try to be preachy out front. I will be reading this to my daughter many times over, I predict.

This lovely book is based on a parable from the Bible.

"A child plants a mustard seed in an empty garden. It is an itty-bitty seed. It isn't anything very special yet."


A little boy and a little girl watch the garden plot very carefully hoping for a sign that growth is taking place. The sun shines down, the clouds deposit rain, and as time passes a sprout appears. The children are so excited to see that little tender plant emerge from the soil. They never, ever dreamed of the miracle that was about to take place right before their eyes.

That itty-bitty plant shoots higher and higher until it becomes a huge tree for all of the community to enjoy. The animals, birds and diverse characters are all blessed by its very presence. Who knew that such a strong, powerful tree was contained inside that teeny, tiny seed?

The book compares the growth of that microscopic seed to the growth of faith and the love of God. The inspiring message to young readers is that even though they are small they hold a world of possibilities and potential inside of them to grow big like the towering mustard tree and make a difference in other's lives for he good. The authors have included a note to parents and teachers at the end to further explain the parable.

"Parables can open up our imagination, if we let them."

I highly recommend this book.

A paraphrased version of the Parable of the Mustard Seed from the Bible for children. In the back of the book are further notes on what a parable is (and isn’t) and various interpretations of this parable.

I would actually recommend reading this book backwards. Flip to the back, read the notes and then go back to the front and read the story with the knowledge on how to read a parable in mind. It helps you to better understand the tone and intent of the text, that this mustard seed that has grown into a tree is a surprising phenomenon and not the norm. The illustrations help make the parable come alive for kids, and I like the multicultural cast chose in the illustrations. The vocabulary chosen is easy for kids to understand, but this is definitely meant to be read with an adult who has a better grasp on Christian life and can extend the conversation beyond the pages of the book. The process of planting a seed and waiting for it to grow, then watching it sprout, and finding out how people use its seeds is told and illustrated in such a way that this could also be used as an early elementary or preschool science class resource. Obviously, since this is a parable retelling, it is also a good choice for Bible classes, family devotion time, and Sunday School classes. I’ll be recommending this be added to our Elementary library collection.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully illustrated story based on the parable of the mustard seed found in the New Testament. We read in simple words and phrases that young readers will easily understand about the size of a mustard seed and how it grows when you plant it and take care of it. From impossible to see to colossal in size, the story compares the growth of a mustard seed to the growth of faith and the love of God. The end of the book includes a special note to parents/teachers explaining in further detail the parable and its many interpretations.
This is lovely children's story about growth in all forms.
Thanks to Flyaway Books and Netgalley for a digital ARC to review.

My youngest daughter (9) enjoyed this book, although I think it's better suited for a bit younger crowd. My children are very well versed in the bible so it was a little on the childish side for us, but still a very well written and important message. Thanks for the opportunity!

Unbeknownst to me, this is a religious parable. The story is about being patient and growing a mustard seed into a tree. In real life mustard grows to bushes. That threw me off a bit while reading this book. Over all the story is fine, but not for me.

BOOK REVIEW: The Marvelous Mustard Seed
By Amy-Jill Levine and Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
This beautifully illustrated children’s book is based on the parable of the mustard seed found in the gospels (Matt. 13, Mark 4, Luke 13). The illustrations follow two young children who plant one teeny tiny mustard seed in the ground and wait for it to grow. The text follows the growth of the seed in a way that young children can understand. The language is simple, and the font type makes exciting parts more exciting (i.e. UP comes a sprout) for children to see on the page. It shows how plants grow in the ground, what they become when they are finished growing, and how they may help people (i.e. in providing food or medicine).
At the end of the book is a Note To Parents explaining the parable and different interpretations that have surfaced throughout the years. The authors’ intention was to “add a new understanding based on what we imagine Jesus’ original audiences might have heard.” I think they accomplished their goal with this book. Included at the bottom of the note is a list of questions that can be used to help your child understand the parable of the mustard seed and how it applies to their own lives. I found it helpful to ask myself those questions too!
I didn’t find any bizarre interpretations of the parable within the pages intended for reading with children.
This is a book I would buy for my own children as it provides another format of reading parables. I would likely read the verses with my children before or after looking at this book together.