Before the Seed: How Pollen Moves

Discover the intricate process of pollination in a lyrical narrative from a noted biologist, packed with information-rich asides and paired with spectacular botanical illustrations.

We live in a world of green that grows from seeds. But what happens before there are seeds? In a graceful text grounded by riveting science, biologist Susannah Buhrman-Deever explains how whirling winds, buzzy bees, and bustling birds move pollen from flower to flower, answering each plant’s special invitation. Lush botanical illustrations by artist duo Gina Triplett and Matt Curtius bring each tiny detail of the process to life, and the final pages remind us why it’s important to take action to protect our pollinators. From bees and bats to beetles and hummingbirds, the text covers creatures from all over the world that aid in flower pollination, as well as the sophisticated mechanisms flowering plants have developed in order to reproduce. Back matter includes more information on flower anatomy, how to support local pollinators in your own backyard, and the dangers that global warming poses to pollinator species.

Susannah Buhrman-Deever is a trained biologist with a PhD in behavioral biology who specializes in animal behavior and ecology. She is the author of Predator and Prey, illustrated by Bert Kitchen, and If You Take Away the Otter, illustrated by Matthew Trueman, a Bank Street College Cook Prize Honor Book. In addition to her writing and academic work, she also developed ecology curricula for the Lion Conservation Fund. Susannah Buhrman-Deever lives with her husband and sons in New York, where she enjoys hiking through forests, paddling on the water, and puttering in her garden.

Gina Triplett and Matt Curtius are a wife-and-husband artistic team who have shared a collaborative studio in Philadelphia for more than ten years. They have worked on projects ranging from public art to advertising to print books for children and adults. Gina Triplett has exhibited throughout the US and abroad. Matt Curtius is an associate professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.