  | Boy with flowers in his hair Author: Jarvis | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
Everyone likes David, the boy with flowers in his hair. He's sweet and gentle, just like his colorful petals. But one day David comes to school wearing a hat, and he is quiet. When he takes off the hat, his bright petals flutter down like butterflies. Now, where his flowers were looks twiggy and prickly, causing the other children to stay away. But David's best friend has an idea--a way to help David get his color back, wielding paintbrushes and plenty of love.
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Reviews:
School Library Journal (04/01/22)
Booklist (04/01/22)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 04/01/2022 PreS-Gr 2—As narrated by his best friend, who has dark hair and brown skin, the name of the boy with flowers in his hair is David, a white boy with long branches sticking directly out of his head in place of hair. Attached to each branch is an array of colorful flowers of many different varieties. David's flowers require watering, often attract bees, and cause the other students to laugh at how the branches and flowers poke and stick every which way. Students, of many different ethnicities, don't think David is strange until the flowers start to fall out. David is left with bare branches and the other students start to avoid him until his best friend comes up with the idea of creating colorful paper flowers to hang on the empty limbs. Soon the other children are helping to bring color back to David's boughs. Colorful digital illustrations set on a white background adorn each page of this picture book. The language is spare, and beautifully conveys from a child's perspective the adaptability and acceptance of a child facing hardship. Pair this with any favorite title on bullies, and create SEL lessons that practically write themselves. VERDICT Purchase for school libraries; this heartfelt demonstration of compassion is fantastic and realistic in equal measure.—Tracy Cronce - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 04/01/2022 A young narrator introduces his best friend, David, “the boy with flowers in his hair,” as illustrations depict David in a classroom setting with flowers sprouting all over his head, colorful, bright, and full of life. The narrator describes how they play and sing together, adding that everyone likes David because he is gentle and sweet. One day, however, something changes, and David becomes withdrawn. His petals fall off and are replaced by brittle, spiky twigs. The children stay away, because David might scratch them, even if he doesn’t mean to hurt them. The narrator finds a way to reconnect by creating paper flowers for David, and the other children join in. As they reach out to help, David returns to normal—almost. Eventually, through patience and continued love, David’s flowers start to grow again. His friend holds on to the paper ones, though, in case he needs them again. This tender story about emotions made manifest could help children talk about trauma and recognize its effects on themselves and others. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
