Tiny Wonders (Sally Soweol Han, UQP)
This story has been told plenty of times but it’s one that is always worth listening to: the idea that our world has become so busy, so grey, so predictable, that sometimes it needs a child to stop and find ways to bring the colour back. Young April, driven by the memory of her inspiring and optimistic grandmother, resolves to challenge the grey by wishing for dandelion seeds. When they miraculously appear, she patiently plants and nurtures them until, after a cold winter, they blossom and bring cheer to her community. Although the arc of the story is entirely evident from the beginning, there is a little confusion in the illustrations: the first pages are, as expected, evocative grey sketches of April’s world (with her bright red overalls representing her energetic contrast with her surroundings) but from the moment she begins searching for adults to help her with her quest to grow dandelions, the images, somewhat prematurely, become bright and detailed, suggesting it is April’s innocent enthusiasm and hope that bring the world alive, rather than the magic of the flowers. This message is a delightful one, but visually seems to undermine the transformative power of the dandelions bursting into bloom, which has been built up as the climax. Still, this heartfelt book is a nice reminder to both young children and adults that it’s always important to stop and smell the … dandelions.
Anica Boulanger-Mashberg, an editor and writer, is a bookseller at The Hobart Bookshop.
