Flora's Surprise?

Rating:
Summary: A simple and charming full-color picturebook
Review: Flora's Surprise! is a simple and charming full-color picturebook written and illustrated by Debi Gliori. Flora the rabbit and her family are all busy planting different things - but while the other rabbits plant seeds, Flora plants a brick and waits and waits for it to grow into a house. A twist ending complements this upbeat and confidently recommended picturebook story.

Rating:
Summary: To thine own self be true
Review: This engaging picture book for preschool-grade K is one of Gliori's best. Flora rabbit and her older siblings go to work in the garden. While the siblings plant seeds for flowers and vegetables, Flora plants a brick in a flowerpot which she claims will blossom into a house, despite warnings to the contrary. When spring comes, the garden is all in bloom, and it turns out that Flora was right too - her flowerpot has a bird in a nest living on it! Kids will enjoy the gentle humor of this tale, and will identify with Flora having to stick up for herself when her elders dismiss her ideas. The garden pictures are warm and colorful too.