This gorgeously illustrated book for young readers is on
the themes of gardening and giving. FLOWERS FOR
GRANDMOTHER tells of a girl called Kendahl. She visits her
grandmother and enjoys spending time in her garden.
As grandmother's birthday is approaching, Kendahl asks her
mother if they can give her some flowering plants. They
visit a garden store with its visual feast of all things
garden-related, where Kendahl learns about bulbs which are
large seeds to plant in the ground. Kendahl looks at the
lumpy brown items and decides to buy different coloured
gladioli bulbs, so that her grandmother will be surprised
by the variety when they grow. Her mother leaves her to
choose the colours, and that's when a mix-up occurs.
After all the work that goes into tending the plants, and
all the time waiting for them to grow, it turns out that
Kendahl gets a big surprise, but since her grandmother is
still delighted with the result, everybody wins.
This little book is only 22 pages but it's definitely a
visual treat, the illustrations by Jami Lyn Sizer often
worthy of framing, each page more attractive than the
next. I loved the nature theme as little bees and bugs
inhabit the garden; also the family contact and respect for
the senior lady. While there is no real challenge the
concepts presented are those that children often have to
face... slow passage of days, finding out what will be a
suitable present, learning that not all bulbs that look
alike turn out alike. Knowing that the little girl will get
a surprise will keep kids giggling and turning the pages.
Kendahl Youngs has applied herself to creating a story
about the kind of things that kids need to learn, told
simply. I expect that grandmothers would enjoy reading
this book with their grandchildren.
FLOWERS FOR GRANDMOTHER would be
ideal for early readers and it's good fun too. There's even
a maze puzzle right at the end.
Kendahl is looking forward to visiting her Grandmother, and
wants to surprise her with a present. When Kendahl and her
mother go the local garden store, she sees a picture of a
gladiola and tells her mother that that’s what they should
get for her Grandmother. Told to choose five bulbs, Kendahl
picks what she thinks are five different colored gladiola
bulbs—but she’s in for a surprise.