The Carrot Seed

Where you're very young there are some things that you just know. You couldn't possibly explain it to anybody, but that doesn't matter because anything they said wouldn't make any difference anyway. You just know, that's all. Here's a small but pointed story that puts this wonderful, imperturbably, and quietly unshakeable confidence into a nutshell. It is written by Ruth Krauss, author of the happily ridiculous A Good Man and His Good Wife and is illustrated by the author's husband, Crockett Johnson, whose widely popular creations, Barnaby and Mr. O'Malley, are important upholders of the very young point of view in a world of adults. The Carrot Seed, having to do with a little boy and his personal carrot seed, is a very refreshing book all around. It will be completely understandable to the young, quite unanswerable to adults, and deeply satisfying to both. First published in 1945 and never out of print, this timeless combination of Ruth Krauss's simple text and Crockett Johnson's eloquent illustrations creates a triumphant and deeply satisfying story for readers of all ages.