Horn Book Review
"Some 75 percent of plant genetic diversity has been lost since the 1900sMore than 90 percent of crop varieties are no longer being farmedhalf of our caloriescome from just three [plants] -- rice, maize, and wheat." This eye-opening book on the science and politics of agriculture serves as a wake-up call to readers about the fragility of something many of us take for granted: our plant-based food supply. Castaldo clearly lays out a case for the importance of plant diversity ("Seeds equal life"), presenting engaging scientific and historical information about agricultural science, genetics, and biodiversity along with variously alarming and inspiring accounts of global politics, industrialism, and grassroots activism. Numerous photographs of the plants and people involved in plant and seed preservation are included, as well as profiles of notable scientists and activists: Soviet scientists who died of starvation during the siege of Leningrad while protecting edible seeds; an Iraqi scientist who buried priceless seeds to protect them from destruction during the recent wars; an Indian scientist who works tirelessly to fight industrial takeover of cotton farming traditions; and local activists across the United States who are creating seed banks to preserve heirloom varieties of crops. An appended "Call to Action" section contains practical steps to take -- from joining a CSA to writing letters to Congress. Copious resources invite further investigation. danielle j. ford (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Championing seeds as one of our planet's most precious and vulnerable resources, Castaldo delivers a sobering global status reportand a call to action. Citing our food's precipitous decline in genetic biodiversity, Castaldo introduces readers to the pioneering plant scientists Gregor Mendel, Luther Burbank, and Nikolai Vavilov. Their respective work (in genetics, hybridization, and the collection and preservation of threatened seed varieties) contrasts starkly with the modern practice of genetically engineering and patenting seed for profit by corporate monoliths. Castaldo vividly sketches Vavilov, whose visionary global conservation expeditions yielded the world's first seed bank. Falsely implicated and imprisoned by Stalin's regime, Vavilov died of starvation in a prison camp. Indeed, seeds are both casualties and spoils of war. The Nazis, the Taliban, and other aggressors have stolen or destroyed seed stores, while brave scientists have transported and hidden these critical resources. Blending clear exposition with urgent polemic, Castaldo highlights the important distinction between hybridization and genetic modification of seed, the perils of monoculture, and the David-and-Goliath battles of family farmers vs. Monsanto. She profiles the work of Dr. Vandana Shiva and othersworldwide advocates for farmers' rights to reclaim, sow, and save genetically clean seeds. Concluding chapters explore heirlooms, the farm-to-table food movement, and exhilarating effortsboth formal and grass-rootsto save and safeguard our remaining, regionally adapted seed. Well-crafted and inspiring. (call to action, resources, seed libraries, glossary, author's note, sources, timeline, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
