The Lotus Seed

Garland, Sherry. The Lotus Seed. illustrated by Tatsuro Kiuchi. Harcourt Brace, San Diego: 1993.

About the Book

A young Vietnamese-American girl tells the story of how her grandmother saw the Emperor of Vietnam on the day he was forced to give up his throne. Wanting to remember this momentous event, the grandmother took a seed from a lotus plant in the Imperial Garden. Later, forced to leave Vietnam, the grandmother took the seed with her and looked at it whenever she felt sad or when she wanted to mark an important event in her own life. Many years later, one of her grandson's takes the seed and throws it in the mud. The grandmother is unhappy to have lost her seed until she sees what happens.

Reviews

Booklist starred, Vol. 89, No. 14 (March 15, 1993)
Horn Book starred, September 1993
Kirkus Review, 1993
Publishers Weekly, April 5, 1993
School Library Journal, July 1993

Awards

ALA Notable Book
Amer. Bookseller "Pick of the Lists"
Texas Bluebonnet List
Children's Book-of-the-Month Club
Reading Rainbow Main Feature.

About the author

Sherry Garland is a fifth generation Texan, born in the Rio Grande Valley. When she was six, she moved to a small town of 10,000 (Weatherford, TX). The family was very poor and moved from one rental house to another. During her first fourteen years she moved twelve times! She attended The University of Texas at Arlington, working in the college library full time during the summers and part time during the school year to pay for her college expenses. She received a Bachelor's degree in French, with a minor in English. She and her husband moved to Houston, TX in 1977. After the Vietnam War, thousands of Vietnamese families moved into the Houston area, bringing with them their culture and customs. She befriended many families and helped them with problems unique to war refugees. She attended festivals, weddings, parties, family celebrations, and grew to love and respect the Vietnamese culture. Seven of her books were inspired because of her love for the Vietnamese culture. She even traveled to Vietnam to see that beautiful country. After twenty-two years in Houston, she and her husband moved to central Texas. Now they live on two wooded acres in Bryan with a creek in back.

(Author information from http://www.sherrygarland.com/)

About the illustrator

Tatsuro Kiuchi

1966 Born in Tokyo
1988 B.A. in Biology, International Christian University, Tokyo
1991 B.F.A. in Illustration with distinction, Art Center College of Design
2002 A member of Tokyo Illustrators Society

Awards and Recognition
1991 Bronze Medal, Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles
1993 Society of Illustrators Original Art '93 Annual
1994 Bologna International Children's Book Art Annual
1994 Society of Illustrators 36th Annual
1994 Communication Arts Illustration Annual 35
1995 Society of Illustrators 37th Annual
1995 Communication Arts Illustration Annual 36
1996 Society of Illustrators Original Art '96 Annual
1999 Society of Illustrators 42nd Annual

Exhibitions
1994 Bologna International Children's Book Art Exhibition, Italy
1995 Kenji Miyazawa Original Art Exhibition, Japan
(artist information from http://mejirushi.com/)

The Lotus Seed was the first children’s book he illustrated, and he says he had a hard time collecting historical references on Vietnam. The illustrations are oil on illustrated board.

Before Reading Activity

Website

Have children look at the pictures of Vietnam on this website.

http://www.ibiblio.org/vietnam/vnpic.html

Discussion questions

Do have a favorite keepsake? What is it? Why is that your favorite? What is one thing in your home that has special meaning to your family? Why is it special?

After Reading Activity

Divide the children into partners. Make copies of the following chart. Distribute one copy to each pair. Children will cut apart squares. Then have children illustrate each square and rearrange in sequence. Glue onto a strip of paper to look like a storyboard.

#___

The seed bloomed and Ba gave each of her grandchildren a seed to remember her by.

#___

Ba plucked a seed from the Imperial garden and saved it in a special place under the family altar.

#___

She had to leave Vietnam because of a war.

#___

In the United States she worked many years with her family, living together in one big house.

#___

She married a man chosen by her parents and had children.

#___

She took a crowded boat to a strange new land.

#___

The Emperor lost his golden dragon throne.

#___

Her grandson stole the seed and planted it in a pool of mud. Ba was very sad.

Extension

After cutting 6x6 or 8x8 inch squares of fabric, distribute a square to each child. Have each child draw or paint (use fabric paints, permanent marker, fabric crayons, etc.) on the fabric. Illustrate a family celebration or your special keepsake. Sew quilt squares together. Alternately, use paper and piece together as a mural in the classroom.