Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault [Hardcover]

Psst . . . Guess what? 800 miles from the North Pole, buried deep in a mountain, the Svalbard Seed Vault holds priceless treasure. Seeds!

Perfect for 5-8-year-old future conservationists, this award-winning nonfiction picture book is a fascinating glimpse into unique conservation, highlighting the importance of natural resources and protecting planet Earth.

On the Arctic island of Spitsbergen in Norway, polar bears roam and there are no gardens, forests, or fields. But buried deep underground, the Svalbard Seed Bank protects more than 580 million seeds with plenty of room for more.

How and why was the vault built? What's it like inside? How does the vault protect the seeds? Learn about the rescue of the greatest treasure on earth--seeds for our food.

An inside look into the storage and history of one of our most important natural resources and how this collection can save our future.

2026 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award® for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children♦ While much has been written about endangered animals, this story about endangered seeds will draw in young readers. It focuses on a vault in the far northern reaches of Norway, a protective space drilled into the side of a mountain. Flowing language combined with supplementary text clearly explains a modern predicament: climate change has caused crops that once thrived to fail, and farmers often choose to use the same seeds repeatedly to ensure the success of their harvests. Unused seeds can become extinct unless they are preserved for possible future use. Although there are many other seed banks, the Svalbard vault was created to house millions of seed copies from all over the world. The frigid temperature, remote location, and recognition that Norway is a peaceful country make the location ideal. Striking artwork depicts the blue and silver of the icy landscape as wlsÀ