Bloom: An Ode to Spring

by Deborah Diesen, Mary Lundquist (Illustrator)

From the New York Times Bestselling author of The Pout-Pout Fish series

Dig holes in the autumn soil.
Drop the bulbs in one by one.
Cover them with dirt.
Come spring, the bulbs will flower!

In this lushly illustrated story from Deborah Diesen that celebrates life and growing up, a mother and daughter plant a garden to see how something small blooms into something as beautiful and strong as their love.

Genres: Picture Books, Gardening, Childrens, Nature, Family, Storytime, Love

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2017

About the author

Deborah Diesen is the author of The Pout-Pout Fish, a rhyming children's picture book illustrated by Dan Hanna and published by Farrar Straus Giroux. Her book The Barefooted, Bad-Tempered Baby Brigade was published by Tricycle Press. She lives in Michigan. Visit her web site at www.deborahdiesen.com and her blog at jumpingthecandlestick.blogspot.com

http://us.macmillan.com/author/debora...

Reviews

[Jasmine Ariti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet, moving story, with a lovely family.

The watercolor illustrations by Mary Lundquist are beautiful I especially love the page with the little fox -- so adorable, and I love finding surprises like that in illustrations. Even more than the fox, I love her trees. They look alive to me, alive and happy and shining.

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Miss 3 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

This was okay. It's kind of about gardening but more in an incidental way. It's more about the passage of time and reflecting on events over the year as mother and daughter wait for the flower bulbs to bloom.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this would serve to show the passage of a year, I think more could have been done with the word, "Bloom," especially at the end.
Full color illustrations are soft, and show enough detail to support the text. Some parts are vague and readers will be wanting to know why they cried one day.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another in the pre-Mother's Day release of sweet books about mothers and children. *yawn* This one gets an extra star for the incidental diversity.

[Olivia S · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. Love the everyday diversity aspect. I like the idea that we plant things and they eventually bloom, even if we forget about them and go through other things in the mean time. I just found the story a bit forced. 5+

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like so much how Deborah Diesen begins this book with this evocative sentence:

Do you remember when we planted those flower bulbs together?

In the spirit of "Once upon a time," only made relevant to human childhood and learning. Also, this is a shout-out to the imaginations of the child and the reader who are opening up this book together.

Personally, I never saw a daffodil until the spring of my first year of college. (Brandeis University had the most magnificent sweeps of daffodils; I hope that's still true.)

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE STORY

Such a discreetly poetic narrative this turns out to be. For instance, "We held clumps of dirt in our palms and mashed them up, just to feel the rhythm of the bumpy soil in our hands.

Synesthesia at its finest! Italics are mine. Incidentally, I published an entire book all about synesthesia. (Sure, I'll mention that in a COMMENT below, in case any of you are curious.)

THEN COMES A QUESTION THAT JUST MIGHT BE THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS STORYBOOK

Not that I'll quote it and do a spoiler, no no!

Goodreaders, just pause when you get to the paired illustrations of grownup, gray, garden boots and the adorb little red sneakers, one with untied shoelaces.

SUCH A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

How moved I am by this gently profound storybook, and the little girl-sweet illustrations!

[Jennifer Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mother and daughter plant bulbs deep in the dirt and wait for the flowers to bloom. As they wait, life happens around them, and when springtime comes they realize their relationship and love for one another has grown and taken deep root in their hearts just as the bulbs have done in the earth.
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Beautiful illustrations! The family is biracial which is refreshing to see in a picture book. The story is just so sweet! Perfect for a mother/child read-aloud.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mother and young daughter plant flower bulbs together.

[Mrs. Melaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gentle book shows how wonderful things can grow and bloom with patience and care. When a biracial mother and daughter plant funny shaped, crinkly skinned bulbs in the fall, they find it hard to imagine that flowers will emerge in the spring. After the planting is done, seasons pass as they go about their lives celebrating a birthday and Christmas, starting day care, going on a family trip, even having a situation in which they cry together. Meanwhile, the bulbs have been growing, “Day by day, each day a bit bigger. Stronger. As certain as love.” When spring arrives, mom and daughter venture out to admire the beautiful blossoms together. Pastels featuring soft greens and white dominate the lovely illustrations. Don’t miss the end papers – the front ones show rows of bulbs labelled tulip, hyacinth, and daffodil, while the back ones show the same flowers now in full bloom.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diesen, Deborah. Bloom, illustrated by Mary Lundquist. Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan), 2017. $16.99. Content: G. PICTURE BOOK.

A sweet book about flower gardening featuring a beautiful biracial family. The mom and the daughter plant the bulbs in the dirt in the fall. Then time passes: holidays, vacations, happiness, and sadness. Meanwhile the bulbs grew little by little, like love. In the spring, all of the flowers bloom. The illustrations are perfectly paired with the story and feel light and bright. This story would be a great book for a gardening storytime.

Pre-K, EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE. Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Maya Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an adorable book about a mother and daughter who learn the importance of patients. After planting bulbs in the fall, all they can do now is wait for spring to come. They celebrate holidays, go on vacation, and continue to fill their time until it is finally spring. Together they go outside to see the tulips spring brought. This book defiantly pulled at my heart string and made me miss my childhood when my mom and I would plant flowers together. This would be a great book for a mother to read to their kids before they garden together to help show their kids how long it takes for things to grow. The illustrations were simple but still captured the beauty of a garden.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous book introduces young readers and listeners to the need to wait through the planting of flower bulbs. Diesen does an excellent job of presenting a difficult concepts for children - the passage of time. The gentle story of the passing of the year is accompanied by Mary Lundquist's colorful, gentle illustrations. Another subtle, well-done element is the biracial family at the center of the story. Highly recommended for public libraries.

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of learning about natural cycles, and I'm a big fan of books that illustrate the passage of time and how things change. As the mother / daughter garden of bulbs quietly grows through the fall, winter, and spring seasons, the girl and her family "bloom" too. This is definitely a quiet book with nothing too flashy, so I think it would be a cozy read for people thinking about spring and / or about family.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s about gardening, specifically planting bulbs, tulip, daffodil, and hyacinths.
And of course it is a Mother and child planting bulbs, then lots of family activities pass before the bulbs bloom. It is a quiet story and I am not sure children will find it interesting. Nice touch that the front end papers are illustrations and the back ones are the flowers blooming.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off and mostly reads through as 'do you remember when we ...' describing planting bulbs in a garden. I get that most books are pretend, but it felt weird since we've never done those things, much less with Stella. If you have gardened with your kids or that isn't weird for you, this is a good book about bulbs growing.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mother and child plant bulbs and discuss the textures, sizes, and dreams they are planting and then relish in the joy and color come spring.

I will make sure both of my school libraries still have this lovely 2017 title. I plan to use it after a project with my ASD and SXI classes, as well! (Plant in the fall and then enjoy them in the spring.)

[Becky Ransberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story with pretty illustrations. Wouldn't use for a storytime but could be a nice read for one on ones. The story touches on gardening, the passing of time, and a mother-daughter relationship. Includes a diverse family.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mom and daughter plant bulbs in the autumn, wait through the seasons and many events, and finally see the blooms next spring. Loose metaphor for seeing love through time and events, too. Cute illustrations show a mixed race family.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Do you remember when we planted those flower bulbs together?"

A mother and daughter wait for the bulbs they have planted to bloom, much as the little girl grows, too. "Day by day, each day a bit bigger. Stronger. As certain as love."

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and yay for quietly showcasing diverse families.

[Monica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute seasonal story. Also includes a mixed race family and diverse friends.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet. My one quibble is that I'm not sure the time frame is clear enough - adult reader may have to clarify that point.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the diverse family; loved the seasons and the waiting

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with lovely illustrations centering around the love between mom and daughter, the passage of time, and bulbs growing into flowers!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really like how this book expresses the passage of time using planting of blubs to make a progression. The illustations are lovely.

[Sean Kottke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect little picture book on planting, patience and enjoying the beautiful fruits of one's labor

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting fresh take on an "I Love You" book, though imagery sometimes felt forced. Extra points to the artwork depicting a multiracial family.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story for little ones.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the mom was going to die. *whew* Crisis averted.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storytime Theme: Mom/Maternal Figure