Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

A little green pea dreams of becoming a tree in this book about life cycles. He gets his wish in a circuitous way when a worm eats him and then "poos" him into soil from which a tree can grow. Although the illustrations of expressive-faced peas may amuse readers, they will likely have trouble following the awkward rhymes and bumpy plotting.

Kirkus Reviews

A little green pea growing in row 53 dreams of someday becoming a tree. It is only when the pea is on the kitchen table next to a tuna-casserole recipe that he faces up to his future reality. He manages to roll to the floor, where he is eaten by the worm who narrates the story: "We worms do the mixing, the seeds do the mingling / and all of us wiggle and all the while giggle... / We especially like poo (we really do) / 'cause out of it all; something grew, grew, grew..." Along with the worm's statement that, "You see, a pea is a seed," this is likely to give children the idea that the pea did in fact grow into a tree instead of simply nourishing it, an impression reinforced by the final image of the pea's bowtie atop the tree. Keiser's watercolors reflect the humor of the rhymes, but are unable to overcome the text's lack of clarity. One to skip—troubling science, a hodgepodge of cutesy rhymes and anthropomorphized animals and vegetables make for a bad combination. (Picture book. 4-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Barber's debut stars a pea that dreams of becoming a tree, but the story's logic (as well as its verse) falters. Initially, the other peas scorn the bow tie–wearing pea: “you're too wee to become a tree!” Upon being picked, the pea is headed for a tuna casserole, but falls to the ground, where a worm eats him. “Do not be sad for the little green pea,” says the worm, revealed to be the narrator. “You see, a pea is a seed,” it explains, somewhat obliquely. “We worms do the mixing.... We especially like poo (we really do!)/ 'cause out of it all; something grew, grew, grew.” On the final page, readers see three trees on a hillside; the tallest wears the pea's red bow tie. Readers may have questions. If peas are seeds, can they really grow into trees? Does the pea know he's a tree? And what does poo have to do with it? In Keiser's soft, watercolor spreads, some creatures, like the bespectacled worm, are anthropomorphized, while others are more naturalistic, reflecting the tug-of-war between the whimsical and the factual. Ages 4–8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Apr.)

School Library Journal (Fri May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2009)

PreS-Gr 2 A worm in glasses tells the story of a little pea in a red bow tie who dreams of becoming a tree. The pea is picked, destined for a tuna casserole, so he escapes, falls to the floor, is eaten by the worm, composted, and eventually a young sapling grows. In a roundabout way, the pea's wish is granted. This odd little story of life cycles is sweetly illustrated in green-hued watercolor paintings that may draw children into the story. However, the rhymed text is forced and having a protagonist with big dreams get eaten halfway through the book will require a fair amount of explaining. Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canada