What happens to the fluff of a dandelion when you blow on it? First it goes floating off into the air carrying its valuable cargo of seeds. But then the excitement begins. It hitches a ride in a chipmunk’s fur. Then it is dropped! But the ground is welcoming and one of the seeds in the fluff sprouts, grows, spreads, and is covered with snow. There it naps until spring. When it wakes up, it is thirsty! Rain comes to quench its thirst. The baby dandelion grows even more, forms a bud, and then the grand opening–a beautiful yellow flower appears. The dandelion entertains an array of visitors: wasps, rabbits, and snakes as it raises its golden head to the sun. In a few words on each page, John Himmelman turns the life cycle of the dandelion into a tale worthy of fairies. The bright and expert drawings of the dandelion’s adventure convey the real beauty of everyday things in the natural world and the wonder that is easily ours to share with children. It is a perfect first non-fiction book to read and share with preschoolers. There are opportunities to hunt and find objects in the drawings, to learn the names of everyday creatures and to identify the parts of a flower. Take this book for bedtime reading or take it outside and find a golden dandelion and the fluffy dandelion where the story begins and begins again.
Check the WRL catalog for A Dandelion’s Life.
