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Jory John

Pete Oswald

The Bad Seed: A Funny Story About Change and Second Chances for Children (Ages 4–8) (The Food Group)

by Jory John (Author), Pete Oswald (Illustrator) Format: Hardcover

(23,756)

Book 1 of 9: The Food Group

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A New York Times bestseller!

This is a book about a bad seed. A baaaaaaaaaad seed. How bad? Do you really want to know?

He has a bad temper, bad manners, and a bad attitude. He’s been bad since he can remember! This seed cuts in line every time, stares at everybody and never listens. But what happens when one mischievous little seed changes his mind about himself, and decides that he wants to be—happy?

With Jory John’s charming and endearing text and bold expressive illustrations by Pete Oswald, here is The Bad Seed: a funny yet touching tale that reminds us of the remarkably transformative power of will, acceptance, and just being you. Perfect for readers young and old, The Bad Seed proves that positive change is possible for each and every one of us.

Check out Jory John and Pete Oswald’s funny, bestselling books for kids 4-8 and anyone who wants a laugh:

The Bad Seed
The Good Egg
The Cool Bean
The Couch Potato
The Good Egg Presents: The Great Eggscape!
The Bad Seed Presents: The Good, the Bad, the Spooky!
The Cool Bean Presents: As Cool as It Gets
That’s What Dinosaurs Do

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Reading age

3 - 7 years, from customers
Book 1 of 9

The Food Group
Print length

40 pages
Language

English
Grade level

Preschool - 3
Dimensions

9.25 x 0.25 x 11.25 inches
Publisher

HarperCollins
Publication date

August 29, 2017
ISBN-10

006246776X
ISBN-13

978-0062467768

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From the Publisher

	Toast of the Town	The Humble Pie	The Smart Cookie	The Bad Seed	The Sour Grape	The Big Cheese Presents: Have Yourself a Cheesy Little Christmas
	Buying Options
Customer Reviews	—	834	4,603	23,756	2,786	219

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 2—Corn kernels, pistachios, peanuts, and other seeds gasp and point as a "baaaaaaaaaaad seed" goes by. When others mumble about him, he can hear them because he has "good hearing for a seed." The bad seed tells "long jokes with no punch lines," lies "about pointless stuff," and never puts things back where they belong. But he did not start out that way; it was only after a traumatic experience that he became "a different seed entirely." Through a mixture of watercolor textures and digital paint, Oswald creates a faded cityscape background. The seeds, on the other hand, have stronger colors and expressive faces. (Their sticklike arms and legs and large eyes make them reminiscent of the California Raisins.) The contrast between the bright, sunlit field and the dark interior of a sunflower seed bag highlights the protagonist's downturn in fortune. Young readers will find the list of all the seed's offenses amusing, and the illustration of the flies and stench surrounding him (he never washes his hands or feet) is sure to elicit laughter. Even the very youngest can follow along as the pictures provide evidence of the seed's bad behavior and the reactions of those around him. This is a story that opens up dialogue about our reactions to life experiences, the consequences of our choices, and the chance to make a change for the better. VERDICT This charmingly illustrated book would be a comical read-aloud and useful for class or family discussions about manners, behavior, and reputation.—Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN

Review

“Young readers will enjoy watching the dramatic seed intimidate his nervous neighbors, and might not even realize they’re learning a lesson about good behavior in the process.” - Booklist

“The BEST read-aloud book of the year...Seriously.” - Mel Schuit, Let’s Talk Picture Books (blog)

“Oswald’s illustrations of seeds, legumes and nuts match John’s silly, appealing story.” - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

★ “Young readers will find the list of all the seed’s offenses amusing, and the illustration of the flies and stench surrounding him (he never washes his hands or feet) is sure to elicit laughter.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

★ “Even the very youngest can follow along as the pictures provide evidence of the seed’s bad behavior and the reactions of those around him.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

★ “This is a story that opens up dialogue about our reactions to life experiences, the consequences of our choices, and the chance to make a change for the better.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

★ “This charmingly illustrated book would be a comical read-aloud and useful for class or family discussions about manners, behavior, and reputation.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

“This is kid-book humor at its best, both warmhearted and frisky—the kind that leaves adults, too, cracking up and grateful.” - New York Times Book Review

“The watercolor illustrations provide plenty of comic effect.” - Booklist

“John gives the seed a sympathetic backstory (packaged as a snack food, he barely escaped being eaten) that, along with his eventual determination to change his stripes, should keep readers engaged.” - Publishers Weekly

“Working in digitized watercolors, Oswald makes this antihero’s angst vivid and touching, and the world the seed moves in—a metropolis populated by seeds that include peanuts, coconuts, and corn kernels—adds a playful counterpoint of background detail and comedy.” - Publishers Weekly

Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 29, 2017
Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 006246776X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062467768
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7 years, from customers
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.25 x 0.25 x 11.25 inches
Book 1 of 9 ‏ : ‎ The Food Group
Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
Best Sellers Rank: #1,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Children's Books on Diwali
- #5 in Children's Easter Books (Books)
- #12 in Children's Daily Activities Books
Customer Reviews:
(23,756)

About the authors

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Jory John
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Jory John is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and two-time E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor recipient.
Jory’s work includes the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book, "The Good Egg," and the #2 New York Times bestselling picture book, "The Bad Seed." He is also the author of the popular picture books, "Penguin Problems" and "Giraffe Problems," the award-winning Goodnight Already! series, the New York Times bestselling Terrible Two series, the recent picture books "Quit Calling Me a Monster!" and "Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back?" and the international bestseller "All my friends are dead," among many other books for both children and adults. Jory's forthcoming picture books, in 2019, include "That's What Dinosaurs Do!", illustrated by his frequent collaborator, Pete Oswald.
Jory’s books have won numerous state book awards, most recently the North Carolina Children’s Book Award, the Florida Sunshine State Reading Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award of Vermont, the Louisiana Young Readers Choice Award, the Volunteer State Book Award of Tennessee, the North Dakota Library Association Flicker Tale Award, the South Carolina Children’s Book Award, the Oregon Spirit Book Award Honor Prize, and his work was shortlisted for the Texas Bluebonnet Award. His books were also twice-nominated for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in England.
In addition to the books mentioned here, Jory has written for the New York Times, the Guardian, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Believer, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and BuzzFeed, among many other publications. His work has also been featured in The Best American Nonrequired Reading, The Best of McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Reader's Digest, and more.
For more than six years, Jory worked as the programs director at 826 Valencia, a nonprofit writing and educational center in San Francisco's Mission District, founded by Dave Eggers. In that time, he conceptualized and edited, "Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids' Letters to President Obama," which was featured on "This American Life."
Find Jory at www.joryjohn.com or on Twitter @IamJoryJohn
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Pete Oswald
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Pete Oswald is a #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of "The Bad Seed," "The Good Egg," "The Cool Bean," "The Couch Potato," and "The Smart Cookie" all authored by Jory John. Pete’s author debut, "Hike," was shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal and received 5 starred reviews. Pete is an Annie Award-nominated animation production designer best known for "The Angry Birds Movie" franchise, Oscar® Nominated "ParaNorman," and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three kids. Visit him at peteoswald.com.
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