''The Carrot Seed'' is a 1945 children's book by

Ruth Krauss Ruth Ida Krauss (July 25, 1901 – July 10, 1993) was an American writer of children's books, including '' The Carrot Seed'', and of theatrical poems for adult readers. Many of her books are still in print. Early life and education Ruth Krauss ...

. As of 2004, ''The Carrot Seed'' has been in print continuously since its first publication in 1945.

Description

''The Carrot Seed'' was illustrated by Krauss's husband,

Crockett Johnson Crockett Johnson (October 20, 1906 – July 11, 1975) was the pen name of the American cartoonist and children's book illustrator David Johnson Leisk. He is best known for the comic strip ''Barnaby (comics), Barnaby'' (1942–1952) and the ''Harol ...

. At 101 words, it was one of the shortest picture book texts when it was published in 1945.

Plot

The book opens with the words: "A little boy planted a carrot seed. His mother said, 'I'm afraid it won't come up.'" A little boy plants a carrot seed to grow a giant

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild ...

. Despite the skepticism of his parents and, particularly, his older brother, he persists and "pulled up the weeds around it every day and sprinkled the ground with water". The book concludes simply "And then, one day...! A CARROT CAME UP! Just as the little boy had known it would!". The carrot (because it was a giant carrot) is so large that it fills a wheelbarrow. However the top is missing (possibly because the little boy broke the top off of the giant carrot when he pulled it out of the ground). The book is about not giving up no matter what anyone says, and believing in yourself.

References

1945 children's books American picture books Children's fiction books Children's books about plants {{child-picture-book-stub