No Spitting Watermelon Seeds: New children's book by Knoxville author

KNOXVILLE – What's more fun than eating watermelon in the summer? Spitting the seeds, of course.

Knoxville writer, Martha Rose Woodward, takes the reader on a journey of the life cycle of watermelon with rhyming verses that teach as well as delight, while having fun with the rule in her new book: No Spitting Watermelon Seeds.

The book begins where a watermelon begins, with the seeds. It follows watermelon as it develops from small, yellow flowers to melons ready to pick and eat. Facts and information about watermelon are presented with rhymes that inform as well as remind children to use their manners and never spit watermelon seeds. An unexpected twist at the end of the book will have children asking to read the book again and again.

A child model from Chattanooga, TN is used on the cover to make the book come alive for children. Colorful photos of real-life watermelons including melons growing on a farm are also included in the book.

Woodward has written other non-fiction books: Knoxville's Sunsphere; Biography of a Landmark and Knoxville's 1982 World's Fair. After spending 24 years as a school teacher, writing a children's book seemed to be the next logical choice in her career.

Page One:
"Watermelon begins as tiny, black seeds planted in the ground. Sunshine, water and time to develop must be found.

Small plants push through the soil as they enter the world, Soon stems and leaves turn into vines that crawl and twirl.

Farmers watch the plants closely for birds and weeds. Each flower becomes a melon that will produce hundreds of seeds."

Page Two:
"The winding vines get longer and larger as they continue to expand. Next, buds form that burst forth as yellow flowers in this melon-making clan.

The growing cycle of flowers to melons is marvelous to watch indeed, but there is one rule you must always follow, 'No spitting watermelon seeds.'"

No Spitting Watermelon Seeds, can be purchased at www.amazon.com .

For more information email Sunspherebook@aol.com or visit www.marthasunsphere.blogspot.com.

Published August 10, 2012