Review by Booklist Review
Weeds do they get a bad rap? Jenson-Elliott portrays weeds rather reverently, as they send their seeds into the world in wondrous ways. The language is lovely here, as seeds shoot, swirl, and poke, finding a way to live where other plants can't grow. A little girl and her dog anchor the picture book, moving through beautiful natural landscapes: blowing on a dandelion, skating on a frozen pond, and taking a walk in the rain. The simple text, in large typeface, dances across the pages and works well with Fisher's energetic, motion-filled mixed-media and digital illustrations. The concluding spread finds the girl and her pup stretched out in a sea of gorgeous purple weeds, enjoying nature. A detailed two-page spread titled Meet the Weeds concludes by talking about their resilience and ability to adapt to the environment, before breaking down 24 different types of weeds, including old man's beard and fireweed. An eye-opening look at what folks generally consider to be a nuisance.--Kelley, Ann Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"Good or bad, weeds offer endless opportunities to study one of nature's most wonderful tools: adaptation," writes Jenson-Elliott in an afterword to this flowery (no pun intended) tribute to the tenacity and versatility of plants that are often overlooked and unwanted. Using mixed-media paintings and digitally collaged elements, Fisher (Good Night, World) presents up-close images of feathery seeds bursting from pods, "like confetti from a popped balloon," and squeezing their way out of cracks in the cement. A girl and her dog make their way through several scenes, adding a touch of fauna amid the flora. In one scene, the girl blows dandelion puffs into the wind; in another, a handful of "prickly burrs" cling to her socks, both evidence of how weeds can propagate. In addition to her afterword, Jenson-Elliott concludes with three pages of details about two dozen types of weeds, from wild carrot (aka Queen Anne's lace) to toxic locoweed. The many intriguing details will leave readers with the understanding that these plants are fighters. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Stefanie von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Instead of lamenting their pesky invasiveness, Jenson-Elliott celebrates weeds for their heartiness and ability to disseminate and adapt. Poetic imagery describes how they are "shot out of tight, dry pods like confetti from a popped balloon" and "baking in shimmering summer heat on a white-hot sidewalk without a whisper of wind"), and the bold colors of the mixed media/digital collage illustrations do an admirable job of making the ordinary become stunning. More detailed information about how weeds can actually be useful despite their reputation can be found in the back matter, along with a list both identifying and offering further facts about the plants pictured in the book. Looking for where the nodding thistle, oxeye daisy, spotted knapweed, etc., appear in the story will encourage repeated readings and offer more opportunities for learning. Expect to have readers rooting and exploring for the ubiquitous plants.-Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The durability of weeds is here celebrated as an example of plant adaptation; they're survivors rather than invaders (an offbeat point of view for gardeners!). Cheery mixed-media and collage illustrations and imagery-rich, hand-lettered text capture the carefree, random quality of seed dispersal. Further information about some two dozen widespread varieties such as dandelion and thistle is appended. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Adaptable weeds find ways to spread themselves and their seeds, to grow in strange places, and to be loved and admired. Mixed-media digital collage illustrations on double-page spreads follow a girl and her dog through a world of weeds, from seeds to flowers. Sometimesas in an image of milkweed seeds shooting from a podthese pictures focus on the weeds themselves; sometimes they include parts of the girl or dog; and some are full scenes. Weed seeds wait through a winter snow. They bake on hot sidewalks. They sprout "in a tangle of tree roots" and flower into "umbrellas of the finest white lace." Some shatter and spread when pulled; others avoid being eaten, thanks to thorns and poisons. The hand-lettered alliterative text provides a simple introduction to the idea of weeds. With very few lines to each page, it reads aloud smoothly. The author, a California-based nature educator, includes a "Meet the Weeds" afterword, defining them as plants growing where they aren't wanted and describing 24 common U.S. weeds, from dandelions to wild oats. A small, suggestive image accompanies each description. Neither formal introduction nor field guide, this unusual reminder of weeds' admirable qualities nevertheless merits a place on the nature-study shelf of preschool and early-elementary classrooms. (Informational picture book. 3-7)]]]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
