Dandylion summer

This sweet ode to sisterhood and seasons explores the passage of time from a young girl's perspective. When two sisters wish upon a dandelion for the "best summer ever," they receive more than they could ever ask for in the form of an enchanted flora-formed "Dandylion," an imaginary, furry friend who follows them everywhere for summer fun. However, the sisters soon learn that summer is fleeting, and the delightful drawings serve as a lighthearted reminder for kids to enjoy the ephemeral nature of Earth's seasons and the opportunities they offer. Young readers will be enchanted by the vivid, whimsical art and the simple and memorable narrative, with the accessible writing--coupled with large type--making this a favorite storytime pick and a good starting point for independent readers. Fans of Eric Carle's work will appreciate how Preston-Gannon blurs the line between imagination and nature, teaching children that the two are often intertwined and can be fused together to create beautiful, fantastical adventures.

Two sisters wish on a dandelion seed for "the best summer ever" and suddenly see a plant-bedecked lion, whom they name Dandylion. The story is told by the younger sister, beginning with: "On the last day of school, my sister and I find a dandelion on the walk home." The girls are portrayed simply, with light skin, large brown eyes, and single lines for eyebrows, mouths, and noses. Shades of green in Dandylion's mane set off the many-colored flowers and leaves around his nonmenacing, round-eyed face. Both art and text are simple and gentle, portraying a summer full of lazy, play-filled days, moonlit nights, and unwavering familial affection. The layout varies from double-page spreads to single pages with more than one discrete a particularly sweet section shows the girls riding on Dandylion's back, reading a book with him in a tent, and then all three lying on their backs in a meadow that is certainly tick-free. Dandylion has been introduced to a number of townsfolk, but that doesn't keep him from fading away as summer turns toward autumn. The little sister is sad, but her big sister is confident that Dandylion and summer will both return. The final spread offers a concluding beat that relieves a text that was becoming almost unbearably sentimental. Yoko Tanaka's Dandelion's Dream (2020) offers a different, richer take on the dandelion-come-to-feline-life theme. Sweet--almost too sweet. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.