Mothers Day has become a melancholy day for me for the past several years because I am proud and happy to be the mother of two amazing daughters, but it is also a heartbreaking annual reminder of the death of my own mother to breast cancer nearly five years ago. I decided to post this particular wordless book today because it reminds me of her. I obviously never knew her when she was a child, but as an adult and mom, her character was very similar to that of the young girl in this story. I encourage you to share it with your mother or grandmother, daughter or niece, or a neighbor or friend.
Pen and ink drawings and splashes of watercolor contrast the common sights of the city with the everyday wonders that a young girl notices as she is walking with her dad. While he is either staring straight ahead or talking on his phone, she is collecting wildflowers and sharing them - with a dead bird, a dog, and the members of her family, among others. Her random acts of kindness surround their recipients with beauty, as color infuses the scenes where flowers are left. This book is a gentle reminder to be present, make the most of every moment, and appreciate kind gestures no matter how small.
The 2016 USBBY Outstanding International Books list, "Welcome Disruptions," calls this "an evocative, wordless reminder of how compassion brings color to the world."
Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith. Canada: Groundwood, 2015. [9781554984312]
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