In Samah the Seed, a children's book by Sarah Gowayed, Samah wants to grow into a tall and strong pea plant like her Baba. She asks her Baba for advice, and he tells her she must be planted in the soil. Once Samah finds her way to the soil near her Baba, she wills herself to grow, but nothing happens. Several friends, a worm, a bee, and a bird, offer useful instructions, but her Baba gives her the most important guidance, suggesting that she pray to God. Samah applies his advice and is astonished with the results. At the end of the book, Gowayed shows evidence of God's hand in growth through passages from the Bible, Torah, and Quran and provides readers with directions for growing a pea plant.

Sarah Gowayed has captured the beauty of growth in nature and spirituality in her short children's tale. Samah yearns to grow so she can nourish people, and her Baba - with his faith in God - supplies her with the tools she needs. The pea plant could be seen as a symbol of religion and parenting. Baba, and then Samah, had the opportunity to grow, their produce providing sustenance for people. Both mature plants could impart God-centered counseling. As the peas fall from the parent plant, they take the lessons they learn and use them to grow physically and through their religion. Samah the Seed is a great selection to begin a science lesson on studies relating to peas and for readers who enjoy stories with roots in nature and religion.

Samah is a little pea hanging from her father’s stem. All she wanted to do was grow to be just like him and also participate in the job of helping to feed people. She felt like she had no purpose. Her father encouraged her to be patient and wait for the right time, but his words fell on deaf ears. She went through all the natural processes of growth, but nothing seemed to be happening to her. What could be the problem? Is there anything left to do? Find out in Samah the Seed, written by Sarah Gowayed and beautifully illustrated by Amanda Letcher. Samah the Seed is a children’s picture book that teaches the value of patience. It also provides valuable steps on how to plant a pea in your garden.

The lessons in Samah the Seed are so profound that even adults cannot help but derive wisdom from them. I love how the colors used in the illustrations make the book beautiful and interesting and also help to spark the imaginative ability of children. Samah the Seed is easy to read and provides a great source of vocabulary for children, where they will familiarize themselves with words like carbon dioxide. Above all, I love the spiritual angle added to it; we read verses from the Quran, the Bible, and the Torah that summarize the message the author conveys. Parents and teachers can also practice the steps for planting a pea in the garden with youngsters. I recommend Samah the Seed to all young readers between the ages of 3 and 8.