Beansprout

We loved Beansprout! At its core, Beansprout is a story of perseverance and coming up with new plans when things don’t quite go as expected. With a distinct style and gorgeous illustrations, we had a great time reading this book as a family.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a fun book about how to respond when things don't work out the way you want them to. The little boy in this book is doing a class project about seedling growth. The teacher walks them through all the steps of the scientific process: choosing a mystery seed, making predictions about what plant it will become, etc. Ultimately, when the experiment doesn't work out how Ben expected, I was pleasantly surprised that the message was about being resilient, tempering disappointment and moving on to another discovery. Some might be left unsatisfied by the sort of open ending, but I liked it! I also LOVED the papercut illustrations depicting the children and the seedlings. I could especially see having this in a classroom library.

Sarah Reul, you have pure talent, this book was so incredibly darling! I could not get over how adorable the meaning, the characters, the illustrations, and each word was! This book was phenomenal. Wonderfully done.

A sweet story set in a diverse classroom where the teacher hands out seeds and the children predict what each seed will grow into. But one seed doesn't grow. A story of anticipation, disappointment, adjustments, and hope for the future. Not something young readers will notice (I think), but the author's dedication at the end will cause you to rethink the book's meaning (and could be a bit triggering, and sad for adults). Loved the title's play on words "beansprout" and "beans sprouting," and the wonderful illustrations. Thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the eARC for this charming book.

Ms. Greene has a special assignment for Ben and the rest of his classmates. They're each going to pick a random mystery seed, predict how it will grow, and then wait for the magic to happen!

The only problem is that Ben's seed, whom he affectionately names Bean, doesn't grow. Even when the rest of his classmates' seeds have sprouted, Ben's pot is empty. But after sitting with his sadness and mustering up a lot of courage, Ben discovers that just because something doesn't work (or grow!) the first time, doesn't mean you can't try again.

This is such a cute book with a wonderful message — and I LOVE the art style!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of Beansprout n exchange for an honest review.**

What happens when you do everything right, and it just doesn’t work out?

Full of lessons and beautiful illustrations, we enjoyed reading Beansprout. All the kids In Mrs. Greenes class are doing an experiment using “Mystery Seeds”. Each child is given a seed along with the perfect instructions, to make this seed grow. The students are having to learn patience, as they await the first sprout. Finally the time has come for action to happen, and all the kids are excited to see the seeds sprouting. One kid in particular has done everything- exactly how the instructions said, but ends up being let down with no sprouts at all. You will have to read to see what happens. At first I was a little let down by the end of the book, but then I thought about the lesson being taught here. If at first you don’t succeed - TRY AGAIN. There are lots of lessons in this tiny book that I think would be perfect for younger students. I would definitely recommend.

It is rare that we get a picture book about trying, and the process.
At first sight, the art looks muted, but you realise that there is a special effect of cutout and layering that gives the art more depth.
That is the case with the narrative as well. The more you look at it, the more beautiful it gets.

Ms. Greene's diverse class is given a fascinating assignment involving mystery beans. The students select a bean of unknown origin, draw a picture of the bean and decide what type of bean it could be. The children follow simple steps in planting, watering and monitoring their mystery bean. Will the waiting part be more than an hour? When the wait turns into days, the beans start to sprout. What happens if nothing grows even if everything was done correctly?

With beautiful mixed-media illustrations, this is perfect for lessons about handling disappointment, evaluating a process and turning failure into success. The author includes information on seeds, germination and troubleshooting ideas.

Thanks to Charlesbridge, Sarah Lynne Reul and NetGalley for this ARC.

Beansprout by Sarah Lynne is a charming and heartwarming tale that brings a fresh perspective to children's literature. Lynne does an excellent job of creating relatable characters and a narrative that is both imaginative and grounded in real emotions. The book’s vibrant illustrations complement the story beautifully, making it an engaging read for children and adults alike. While it doesn’t shy away from moments of struggle, Beansprout ultimately celebrates resilience, making it an inspiring choice for young readers. It's a delightful book that encourages empathy, self-discovery, and the importance of community. I highly recommend this book, and will include it in my classroom library.

Thank you to Netgalley and Charlesbridge for the digital arc.
Ms. Greene introduces her students to a bag of one hundred mystery seeds from which her little ones choose one each. In anticipation of what will sprout, each seed is be loved and nourished with water, sunlight, and lots of patience. Surprise ending is marvelous and is perfect for the child's “seed” study and back matter offers ample information to answer questions. Gorgeous illustrations created with mixed media, with water color, tissue paper prints and collage on watercolor paper.
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