A Way with Wild Things

by Larissa Theule, Sara Palacios (Illustrator)

Meet Poppy--if you can spot her among the wildflowers! Poppy loves nature, and can be found carrying on conversations with ladybugs or singing with cicadas, but good luck spotting her indoors and around people! She's a master of camouflage, always finding a way to blend into her surroundings. Some might call her a wallflower.At a party, Poppy stays out of sight. But when a very special bug lands on the cake, Poppy can't resist popping out to see it. Soon, the rest of the guests notice the beautiful dragonfly, and Poppy, too. Maybe she's not a wallflower after all, but a wildflower.This poetic and evocative story celebrates the shy and introverted kids among us, as well as the other small creatures to be found if we look closely enough.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Family, Animals, Storytime, Latinx

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2020

About the author

Larissa Theule lives with her family in Southern California.

Reviews

[Elif · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Poppy Ann Fields from the very first page! I like her clothes, her glasses and her tiny nose! Such a cute character. And the illustrations are superb! I'd love to hang them on my walls; so beautiful and cheerful.
And now, all I want to do is talking with the ladybirds about shapes and colours and the heights of flowers. Loved every page!

[Fatemeh Mousavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

از اون‌جایی که در دوران کودکی خیلی خجالتی بودم و خجالتی‌ بودنم کماکان ادامه داره، خیلی با پاپی هم‌ذات‌پنداری کردم. چیزی که باعث شد بهش چهار ستاره بدم این بود که در انتهای ماجرا پاپی ناگهان خجالتش رو کنار می‌گذاره.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy loves bugs and feels more comfortable with them than with people. Her shyness makes her seem like a wallflower, and the reader sees her almost blending in with her surroundings as she observes people and nature around her. In less capable hands, the story would be a taciturn meditation on not fitting in. But the author and artist celebrate Poppy’s singular interest, and in the end she herself feels like a lovely wildflower, as opposed to a wallflower. This sweet picture book excels in many ways. Poppy is a little brown girl, and her world is populated with people of diverse races, ages, and abilities. When she finally utters her only words in the book, at her Grandma Phyllis’s 100th birthday party, it is to say the scientific name of the dragonfly that has alighted on her hands, “Anisoptera.” Instead of feeling sorry for this shy child, we admire her. The art is full of texture and the greens and flower colors are natural and simple, echoing the sweet simple text. The author has added a glossary of bugs at the end, including their scientific names, so each reader can feel as smart as Poppy.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those who are shy will connect with this main character.

[Francesca]

A cute story about introverted children not letting shyness get in the way of the things they love (in this case, nature).

[Genesee Rickel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is for the nature-lovers and for those who feel more comfortable with plants and animals than humans. Poppy is shy (perhaps overstimulated?) when around crowds of people, she doesn't like the attention to be on her. Her grandmother knows her though, sees her greatness, her wildflower-ness. I think a lot of children, especially the quieter ones, will identify with Poppy. On the pages in which Poppy is interacting with nature, she is drawn large. On the pages in which Poppy is among people, she is small and drawn to blend in with various backgrounds. Readers will have a fun time trying to find her on the pages. This book is not about race, and because there is still so little BIPOC representation in children's literature, it is important to me to remark that this story stars a brown girl. Mexican illustrator Sara Palacios "loves Poppy because she has always been shy herself, especially as a little girl, and hopes all the little wallflowers --wildflower! out there feel inspired by this book." The illustrations are made in layers, with cut paper, acrylic paints, and Photoshop.

Palacios won the Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor award for other work. Pura Belpré was a really important Puerto Rican librarian who pretty much started the outreach aspect of the job which is such a cornerstone to librarianship today. She also is responsible for prioritizing Spanish language materials in the library (she worked for New York Public Library in the early 20th century). The Pura Belpré award "is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth." https://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants...

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

A Way with Wild Things by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Sara Palacios. PICTURE BOOK Bloomsbury, 2020. $18. 9781681190396

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Poppy loves nature and insects. She feels at home with bugs but feels like a wallflower around people. When Poppy’s grandmother has a birthday party, Poppy tries to stay quiet and hidden, but when a dragonfly lands in Poppy’s hands everyone starts to pay attention to her. Poppy decides that she doesn’t need to be a wallflower but can be a wildflower.

The best part of this book is the adorable illustrations. Poppy is so cute with her big glasses and all the ways she blends into the scenery. There is also the lovely message of having a passion and sharing it with others and how that passion is a part of who you are. Great for introvert children.

Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy loves bugs and nature, and is happiest conversing with beetles and listening to the cicada's song. But when it comes to people, she does her best to disappear. When a dragonfly lands on the cake at her grandma's birthday party, though, she is seen and recognized as a wildflower rather than a wallflower. Sweet, beautiful illustrations and a quiet, lovely story.

[Juli Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and beautiful story about shyness and acceptance. While not a shy kid, I was a nature-obsessed one and was far more comfortable in the company of bugs and plants than that of people, and Theule really captures that belonging here.

[Shannon (That's So Poe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the artwork in this! It was so sweet, especially with all the bugs & flowers. The story itself was very cute, about a shy girl who doesn't like to be the center of attention, although I could have dealt with a little more depth to it.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poppy prefers bugs to people. A especially relatable story for the shy and introverted.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful story about an introverted little girl finding her place. I love that her passion for bugs and insects and nature help her find herself and her place.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gem on the kids' shelves. Poppy reminded me a bit of myself as a kid. Girls can enjoy bugs and nature, too!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

there aren't enough stars to talk about how much i love this book!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw, I really like the main character, Poppy. She is shy and loves bugs and flowers, but being around groups of people makes her nervous. I thought the illustrations were darling.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing book about confidence and enjoying the nature around us

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy is a super shy child who does not like interactions with humans as much as her natural world. Palacios illustrates this world with such wonder and beauty that we are more able to understand the main character more. At a birthday party for a relative she finally says words. I loved the back matter allowing us to find the wonder of scientific names for things in our natural world.

This book is precious.

[Hannah Peddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Poppy Ann who loved to explore fields of nature, but when she was crowds of people she preferred to stay hidden. When at a birthday party, Poppy finds some confidence to share her amazing knowledge of bugs. I would put this book in my classroom library, I think it is a great representation for students who are on the quieter side. I like the message that everyone has something wonderful to share that makes them unique and special.

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy feels comfortable around the bugs in nature. She is patient and bold. But when she's with people, she's shy and a bit of a wallflower. During one fateful party, Poppy finds herself the center of attention and has to find the courage to show her family who she really is.

This is a soft, gentle tale that speaks to everyone's need for connection and for the people around us to understand who we are.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a perfect book to put in the hands of a shy nature-loving child who prefers the company insects to people...as does Poppy Ann Fields. This a quiet story that shares Poppy's charm with insects, when she attends her grandmother's 100th birthday party, the too-loud people make her wish to sink into the woods until a dragonfly lands in her hands. The art is lovely, with soft colors that match the gentle tone of this book.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations- and I love the bugs! Might be good for introverts or shy kids.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about a shy little girl who loves insects.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful picture book that teaches children it's okay if they're shy, and also teaches them how wonderful it is to be attuned to the wonder of nature.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 05-08-2024

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a introvert, I just hope if I'd read this book when I was a little girl

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. For a child who would rather be outside with the insects and spiders than the center of attention at a party. Loved how she camouflaged herself.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish we had this one when the dtr was younger. Maybe then she wouldn't have been so afraid of flying bugs🤣
Beautiful illustrations.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty

[Alice (Children's Books Librarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy loves insects but isn't keen on the noisy world around her, until she connects closer to her grandmother over her first love. Lovely story of family and anxiety representation.

[Wenjing Fan]

真是一个美好的故事呀。i人想要如何地在世界里隐去自己、如何地与自然融为一体。但由于被很好的接纳+给予空间和理解，得意自洽。是多少i人都想要的童年经历呀。uncle和grandma轻轻展现了一点性别意识，但我说你们外国人作画的时候怎么总把动物植物非生物定义为男啊。