Plants Can't Sit Still

K-Gr 3—Focusing on an aspect of plant life that not many consider, this title examines the ways in which plants move: sunflowers turning toward the sun, a snapping Venus flytrap, and seeds hitching a ride downriver. Hirsch uses simple verbs (e.g., wiggle, reach, unfold) to explore a characteristic or trait of plants (specifically their need to seek out "water, sunshine, and room to grow"), leading up to the refrain "plants can't sit still." Each verb is given a different color from the main text, adding the benefit of text awareness and vocabulary to the title. Illustrator Posada artfully uses cut-paper collage and watercolor to depict, for instance, roots searching underground for water, flowers growing upward on a trellis, winged seeds gliding in the air, and tulips closing up at night. Back matter identifies and provides further information on the flora found throughout.