The Life Journey of a Lotus Seed

Original botanical science picture book, illustrating the life cycle of the lotus with traditional Chinese painting.
A nature reader with a Chinese aesthetic, delving into traditional lotus culture.
◎ Editor's Recommendation
☆ Created by a popular science expert from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, fully showcasing the lotus's life process.
This book was meticulously crafted by a popular science expert with the social media handle "Bugua," who graduated from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and is dedicated to promoting botanical science. It tells the story of a lotus's growth from a single seed falling into the mud, through germination, leaf growth, flower bud development, blooming, fruiting, and the mature new seeds drifting away with the water to re-enter the mud, providing children with a complete understanding of the lotus.
☆ Professional artists poetically depict the lotus's morphological characteristics and its seasonal changes using traditional Chinese painting.
The artists have dedicated many years to studying and researching traditional Chinese painting techniques, using them to portray the lotus's characteristics and changes at various growth stages, showcasing its different forms throughout the four seasons.
☆ Science + Culture: Allowing children to experience traditional Chinese lotus culture while learning about the lotus.
It features detailed illustrations of parts like the pistil and seeds, as well as complete depictions of the lotus. It includes both factual explanations of the lotus and narratives of its growth story, along with cultural appreciation. The artists even hand-wrote the names of the lotus's various parts with a brush, and the entire book is printed on paper with a Xuan paper texture, immersing children in the rich atmosphere of traditional lotus culture from the moment they open the book.
☆ Includes a large, fold-out lotus poster insert, allowing one to experience the charm of nature through a corner of a lotus pond.
The insert presents the lotus as a large poster measuring 430*430, as if bringing a corner of a lotus pond before your eyes. Children can admire the green leaves and red flowers, observe the ducks playing in the water, and feel the beauty of nature.
◎ Content Introduction
The book recounts the life journey of a lotus seed after falling into the mud – from germination, leaf emergence, flower bud development, blooming, fruiting, to the mature new seeds drifting away with the water and re-entering the mud. The main text uses vivid and lively language to tell the lotus's growth story, introducing lotus knowledge in small print. Traditional Chinese painting is used to depict the lotus's form and characteristics at various growth stages. An appendix following the main text systematically explains lotus culture and scientific knowledge about the lotus.
◎ Awards
☆ 2022 German White Ravens Catalogue
☆ The 17th Wenjin Book Award – Children's Category Recommended Book
☆ 2021 Laurel Children's Book Award – Children's Picture Book Category
Judges' Comments:
This is a picture book that wonderfully combines traditional lotus culture, Chinese art with profound artistic conception, and botanical science. It poetically presents the morphological characteristics of the lotus and its detailed changes throughout the four seasons using traditional Chinese painting, elegantly narrating "the lotus's life journey" and showcasing its vitality and cultural charm.
☆ 2021 Dapeng Natural Children's Book Award – Original Chinese First Prize
Judges' Comments:
Award Citation: Starting from a lotus seed leaving the seedpod and falling into the mud, it tells the story of its growth through germination, leaf growth, blooming, fruiting, and the mature new seeds re-entering the mud. This book uses poetic language to explain scientific knowledge related to the lotus, presents the lotus's form and characteristics at various growth stages through traditional Chinese painting, and, supplemented by a Xuan paper-like printing texture, creates a tranquil and profound traditional cultural atmosphere. Readers can not only learn about the lotus's growth process and historical culture, and appreciate its aesthetic beauty, but also be inspired to think deeply about life. "The Journey of a Lotus Seed" is a brilliant combination of poetic expression and scientific knowledge, bringing readers the peaceful and serene feeling of a lotus. – Miffy, 2021 Dapeng Natural Children's Book Award Judge
☆ "Tongyue China" Top 30 Original Good Children's Books
Judges' Comments:
This book, in picture book form, integrates traditional Chinese painting style to tell the life journey of a lotus seed. It takes readers through the four seasons with the lotus seed, appreciating the Chinese aesthetic of the lotus and experiencing the continuous cycle of life. It not only disseminates scientific knowledge of botany but also fully demonstrates the unique Oriental aesthetic style and the charm of traditional Chinese culture and art. It is an original Chinese science popularization picture book that organically integrates science and art.
☆ Original Picture Books 2021 Annual Top 10 Ranking
Judges' Comments:
This is a non-fiction picture book rich in Chinese cultural connotations, meticulously, authentically, beautifully, and movingly depicting the developmental and growth process of a lotus seed. The meticulous brushwork and fine outline drawing of traditional Chinese painting, combined with simple, fresh, and elegant text, achieve an integrated intersection and fusion of science, literature, and art. Readers who open the book will be involuntarily moved, sincerely praising the life force that, after conception and blossoming, continues endlessly in a cyclical pattern.
☆ Parents Must Read & Hongniba Children's Book List 2021 Annual Top 10
Judges' Comments:
This is a science popularization picture book about the lotus (which we also call 'he'), beginning with the germination of the lotus seed in spring. It showcases the lotus's form and characteristics at various growth stages through traditional Chinese painting, which is exquisitely beautiful. Regarding the lotus, there are many topics for children to explore, such as why newly emerged lotus leaves are curled inward, why lotus leaves are waterproof, how many petals a lotus flower has... Parents can start with this book, focusing on topics that interest their children, to help them understand the lotus's growth process, feel the endless cycle of life, and also deeply appreciate the ancients' praise for the lotus's noble and elegant qualities, such as "rising unsullied from the mud and remaining graceful without being showy."
☆ Weibo Children's Books 2021 Annual Good Books Original Science Popularization List
Judges' Comments:
Organically combining traditional Chinese culture and modern scientific knowledge, it showcases the life journey of the lotus plant. The picture book displays many detailed characteristics of the lotus during its growth, such as the unfolding of leaves and the blooming of flowers, which are essential elements in nature learning. The Chinese style of painting adds much to this book, with perfect unity of form and content.
– Shi Jun, member of the Science Communication Working Committee of the Botanical Society of China
☆ 2021 Aiyue Children's Books 100
☆ 2021 Three-Leaf Clover Annual Good Children's Book Selection Top 100
☆ 2021 Three-Leaf Clover Annual Good Children's Book Selection Mom's List Top 10
☆ Included in the 17th Wenjin Book Award Children's Category Recommended Booklist
☆ Shortlisted for the 7th Alice Picture Book Award
Judges' Comments:
Telling the life journey of a lotus seed after falling into the mud, the author uses traditional Chinese painting techniques to depict the lotus's characteristics and changes at various growth stages, showcasing its different forms throughout the four seasons. It includes both factual explanations of the lotus and cultural appreciation. The combination of science and culture allows children to perceive traditional Chinese lotus culture.

2021-04-01

北京联合出版公司

the new wave

40

9787559649898