There's treasure buried deep in a mountain at the top of the world.

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 all about how we safeguard 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.

Educator materials coming soon!

Releasing October 14th, 2025 - Pre-order now wherever books are sold!

Reviews and Accolades

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

***Starred Review from School Library Journal - “While much has been written about endangered animals, this story about endangered seeds will draw in young readers. VERDICT: This tale has an unusual ecological theme that makes seed preservation not only an essential task, but a sacred one. A must-have story for all libraries.”

Kirkus Reviews - “A fascinating tale of conservation at its most creative.”

Publisher’s Weekly - “The critical importance of seed-saving is the focal point of this interesting picture book profile of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and the “priceless treasure” it protects.”