The Secret Life of Seeds

TH E secret li fe of seeds Our Imaginary Garden in Spring By the awesome, funny kids of Division 13

Copyright © 2019 The Writers’ Exchange This book was created by Division 13 , Ms. Quon’s grade 1/2 class, at Waverley Elementary School in the spring of 2019.

The Writers’ Exchange gets inner-city kids excited about reading, writing and their own potential through mentoring and creative projects like this chapbook. All Writers’ Exchange programs are free for the children and families we serve, so we could not exist without the support of amazing donors, including Social Venture Partners Vancouver, BOCCI, Marily Mearns, the Waterbury Foundation, Megan Abbott, Linda Louis, Bernard MacLeod, the City of Vancouver, the Grayross Foundation held at the Vancouver Foundation, Sasamat Foundation, TELUS, Judy Gale, Richard and Suzanne Cole, Nancy and Ted Maitland, John and Nina Cassils, Jim Fletcher, Lindsay Mearns, Scott Shaw, Premium Brand Foods, the Edith Lando Charitable Foundation, the Wolrige Foundation, the Van Tel/ Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund, Steve Munford and CLICK (Contributing to Lives of Inner City Kids Society). Thank you.

207–877 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. v6a 3Y1 vancouverWE.com We are honoured to be able to provide safe, fun and welcoming programs for kids and their families on the unceded and traditional territories of the x wməθk wəy’ əm (Musqueam), skwxkwú7mesh (Squamish) and sel’íl’witulh (TsleilWaututh) Nations.

As uninvited guests on this land we are grateful to be able to enjoy this beautiful place and we are committed to building relationships and learning about ongoing traditional ways of life from our Indigenous friends.

Writers’ Exchange mentors: Anne, Briony, Helena, Jo, Karen, Kathryn, Kristina, Sahiti, Serena, Yng and Yuliya Design and layout: Setareh Ashrafologhalai, setarehashraf.com Creative lead: Haley Wells

The Wolrige Foundation Van Tel/Safeway Credit Union Legacy Fund support Writers’ Exchange in-school projects.

generously donated the printing of this chapbook.

About Th is Book This book is about spring and nature. First, we drew mystery seeds, then we drew how they sprout. They need to get soil, water, sun and air to come out. We also wrote speech bubbles to show how the plants and seeds feel, and taped them onto our drawings.

All the drawings we made were of something different. Some were plants, and some were animals and some were unicorns!

Taylor and Kushi

This book is about spring, because it is about seeds and what grows in gardens. This is what seeds need to grow: soil, sun, air and water. And if you get them all of the stuff they need, they will grow. It takes about seven days to grow a seed, or sometimes a little bit longer. Once the seed is done growing you can eat the food for dinner and it might taste good.

Nash This book is about what our seeds will grow into. Do you know what my seed will grow into? If you don’t, then read this book to find out, or you can play a guessing game with your friends.

Cyrus

Conte nts Sarah 3

Cianne 10

Bryel 17

Mikx 4

James 11

Kushi 18

Nash 5

Aidan 12

Janisa 19

Andromeda 6

J.M. 13

Hajeen 20

Taylor 7

Cyrus 14

Isaac 21

Sabrina 8

Tenzin 15

Andrew 22

Nathan 9

Vincent 16

Kyle 23

Sarah

I’m a flower and I’m magical.

I’m growing some more . . . what is up there?

I can feel the sun shining on me.

I’m growing.

I’m thirsty. I want water to drink.

3

M i kx

We’re all starting to grow.

Hi! Can you find the eggs we have hidden? There are six eggs!

We’re all thirsty.

4

Nash Yay, now I am full grown!

I’m a bean.

I’m so big.

I’m bigger than everyone now.

I’m growing a little big.

Help me grow.

5

An d rom e da

I have light and food! Thank you!

Can I see some light? Can I have some friends here?

Where is everybody?

Can I have some food?

Get me out of here! I want some light down here!

6

Tay l o r I am a flower!!

AND I AM FREE! I HAVE ARMS!

I am so big!

I AM FREE!

I need sun and water to get out!!

Help me get out!

7

Sabr i na

I’m Beany.

Yay, I am out with my sun friends.

Closer. . . closer. . . out! Yay! I am almost there . . .

More water! More, more, more!

I want to see my friends flying all over.

Yay, I am growing but I still have a long way to go!

It is so dark . . .

I need sun. Oh, sun. Mister golden sun.

8

N at h a n

This is a tomato house.

Why am I going up?

Is there a chance I can have water?

9

Cianne

I love î ‹ my garden.

I need more water.

I need dirt.

I need air.

10

Jam es

I’m a creature.

What happened?

It is so dark here.

We need to escape this evil prison.

11

Ai dan

Yawn . . .

Uhhh, hello!

Why am I so TINY? Oh hello, Mr. Seed.

ZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ

12

J.m .

Where are the seeds?

Oh well, I’m going to drink some water.

Arrrr! I am the bad tree.

Here is your cola.

I’m so bored.

Where is the sun? I wanna grooooow!!

Where are weeeeeee?!

Where am I?!

13

Cyrus Yayayayay, yay, I’m out! good good bad bad

RARR, I’M OUT!

I’M ALMOST OUT! *Thanks* *For* *The**Water*

LET ME OUT! GIVE ME WATER!

14

Tenzi n

I am a sunflower!

I see sun!

It’s my birthday today!

Who will give me food . . .?

I can’t see in here, it’s too dark!

15

Vincent

Wow, it’s so bright up here!

What’s that bright thing in the sky?

I’m a flower!

What is up there?

Is it dark? Is there someone up there?

Because I’m happy to meet them!

It’s so dark down here . . .

I’m hungry.

I’m growing!

Now I’m hungry and thirsty.

16

B ry e l

Hello, my name is Tiny Turtle and I can swim in water.

Can this bridge hold my car?

It’s dark down here.

I can drive a car and a boat.

17

Kush i

I am a pig!

POW!

I feel like I am going to come out!!

I’m growing.

Ahhh it is so dark!

Where am I?

18

Jan i sa

I’m almost out of here . . . I’m so hungry, too.

I’m finally out of there!

It’s so dark in here!!

19

Hajeen

I am happy every day.

I am a rainbow lettuce!

I need the sun and I need water.

20

I saac

I see a flower.

21

An drew

Apple tree.

Andrew.

22

Ky l e

When are my colours going to change?

I will grow into the biggest rainbow carrot.

Where’s the sun?

When will I grow?

I can’t see a thing in this dirt!

23

Autograph s

As an author of a Writers’ Exchange book, you are invited to sign up for FREE after-school and summer programs at the Writers’ Exchange home base at 207–877 East Hastings Street.

We run programs for kids in grades 1 to 12.

Ask your teacher for a signup sheet, go to vancouverWE.com or call Jennifer at 604-428-8228 for more information.