Young Reader Review: Wildflower by Briana Corr Scott
Wildflower
Author: Briana Corr Scott
Nimbus Publishing
(Ages 3-7)
A woman who lives in a house by the sea longs for a child. When she finds and plants a wish-granting seed, this dearest hope of her heart comes to pass and a wee tiny child emerges her own beautiful wildflower.
As the baby grows, so does the mother’s love for her. But eventually, this flower child yearns to follow the wind and the birds, to be free and “live like a wildflower.” So she sets off into the world where she revels in nature’s glory…until winter comes. A mouse and a mole provide her with shelter from the cold, but the mole can’t accept that she is a wildflower and needs to be free. Her own dear mother knows this to be true and when her beloved wildflower eventually finds her way home, her mother is waiting for her with love and a very special gift.
A touching and tender retelling of Thumbelina, this book features exquisite illustrations, lovely and lilting poetry and a heartwarming message. The images are varied, alternating between dark backgrounds with interesting shadows and bursts of light, and magnificent spreads of soft and inviting floral abundance. Corr Scott fills these pages with wildflower images that are light-infused and saturated with bright colours. Each page is a visual treat that captures the beauty of the natural world in all its untamed glory.
The repeated refrain of “you can not own a wildflower” is a haunting and poignant reminder: that nature’s gifts are to be shared (not owned) by all, and that loving someone often means letting go.
Lisa Doucet is the co-manager of Woozles Children’s Bookstore in Halifax. She shares her passion for children’s and young adult books as our young readers editor and book reviewer.
Written By: