Jarvis offers a moving tale of friendship, kindness, and acceptance, softly touching on the subjects of illness or hardship in a way that young children can understand.
Everyone likes David, the boy with flowers in his hair. He’s sweet and gentle, just like his colorful petals. David and his best friend have a great time together, finding the good puddles, making up songs, and running away from the bees. But one day David comes to school wearing a hat, and he is quiet. When he takes off the hat, his bright petals flutter down like butterflies. Now, where his flowers were looks twiggy and prickly, causing the other children to stay away. But David’s best friend has an idea—a way to help David get his color back, wielding paintbrushes and plenty of love. Sensitively told and simply illustrated, Jarvis’s story invites even the youngest children to talk about difficult subjects in an age-appropriate way—and feel inspired to support others when they face trying times.
David doesn't have hair, he has flowers growing there instead. One day when his friend is watering his head he notices some flowers are falling off. Soon David's flowers all fall off and he doesn't feel like himself anymore. His best friend comes up with the idea of making paper flowers which makes David feel more like himself until one day his flowers come back.
A nice story about friendship and differences with some lovely illustrations
I love this hardback book that’s bright and jolly with lots of fabulous colourful illustrations, for children.
When David with the flowers in his hair suddenly go he is twiggy, spiky and brittle, until his best friend comes up with a brilliant idea to give David back flowers in his hair.
I love the big bold writing that would be very easy for young children to read.
This book tops my list for children’s recommendation to read this book, as I know all children will absolutely adore this hardback.
David is a young boy who has flowers in his hair. The children at his school all love him, especially his best friend.
One day David comes to school with a hat on. All of his flowers have fallen off. He is sad and some of the children stay away from him, but not his best friend who has a wonderful idea on how to help him be bright and colourful again.
Author Jarvis really has a way with words and his imagination stops you in your tracks and makes you think.
The book may take more than one read to fully let the words sink in. The first time I read it I just thought what a strange story. Then I kept on replaying it in my head and eventually re-read it and realised it wasn’t so much about the flowers but about the friendship the two best friends had and how caring, selfless, and thoughtful David’s best friend truly is.
This is a beautiful story that has been illustrated perfectly to emphasise the plot and show the two young carefree happy boys in their full glory.
The Boy with Flowers in his hair is a remarkable book. It is heart-warming, poignant, and shows children what true friendship really is.
"Alhoewel dit prentenboek de lijn tussen realiteit en magie bewandelt door het hoofdpersonage bloemen als haar te geven, vertelt Jarvis een universeel verhaal over wat ons als mensen verbindt.
De jongen met bloemen in zijn haar is een ongelooflijk lief prentenboek over hoe mensen elkaar letterlijk en figuurlijk kunnen laten (op)bloeien door vriendschap, acceptatie en een oog voor elkaar."
Me ha parecido una historia sencilla y preciosa, con una delicadeza alucinante. El dibujo es una belleza y me encanta que mezcle elementos reales y de fantasía sin tener que explicar nada demasiado.
This is a gentle, teaching book that encourages compassion and understanding for someone who is going through a difficult time. It is actually helpful to adults to understand how to explain the "seasons of life" to a child and how they can be helpful and understanding.
Similar to an allegory, the flowers in the boy's hair depict the joyful, happy season of life. During such a season there is loveliness and outgoing sharing of this happy time.
When the flowers disappear, spiky stems remain and they are not pretty. They are prickly and fearful to be around. And the other children shy away from this unloveliness.
And then..... another child shows understanding, caring, and coping mechanisms.
An excellent book!
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.
De jongen met bloemen in zijn haar. Tekst en tekeningen: Jarvis.
Wat een ongelooflijk mooi prentenboek! De cover is stralend, vrolijk, kleurrijk; hartveroverend mooi. De bloemen zijn niet enkel mooi om naar te kijken maar je kan ze ook voelen; wow!
De jongen met bloemen in zijn haar is prachtig qua verhaal, tekeningen en boodschap. Het is een ode aan vriendschap, creativiteit en inclusiviteit.
Het is het verhaal van een jongetje wiens beste vriend David bloemen in zijn haar heeft, waar soms zelfs vogels in wonen, iedereen is dol op hem. Tot hij op een dag op school verschijnt zonder de bloemen… Zijn beste vriendje zoekt een oplossing en komt met een creatieve remedie. Ontroerend mooi én lief.
Jarvis schreef een klein verhaaltje op een grootse manier. De schitterende, intieme, indrukwekkende tekeningen maken dit boek helemaal tot een pareltje dat je hart verovert en een glimlach op je gezicht tovert.
Aanrader. Koop 2 exemplaren: eentje om te lezen en eentje om aan de muur te hangen want de cover is om verliefd op te worden!
(4) Un album sur la maladie que j'apprécie tout particulièrement. C'est très simple mais en même temps particulièrement éloquent. Et j'aime beaucoup toute cette symbolique autour des fleurs.
One of the sweetest, most beautiful picture books of 2023. My new favorite Jarvis creation. The cover is embossed, vivid colors and images throughout. A darling story about friendship and inclusion. I love it!
«νιώθω πως το βιβλίο είναι μια αφορμή για συζήτηση γύρω από το πώς φροντίζουμε, την ανάγκη που νιώθουμε να φροντίσουμε και την αδυναμία μας όταν δεν μπορούμε να το κάνουμε. μια αφορμή να συζητήσουμε τι μπορούμε να κάνουμε τελικά και πώς να φροντίσουμε εμάς τους ίδιους.»
I read this in the store. Three days later I'm still thinking about it. I'm going to have to buy it. The story is so sweet - and allegorical - it's not really about flowers but rather being different - perhaps it's chemotherapy or maybe something more benign like - well, you understand. It's a wonderful moral. I want to think of all of my nieces and nephews as the understanding, sympathetic friend. Lovely message and illustrations.
Cute 🌻💐🌸🌹🏵🌷🌺🥀 Mi ha fatto venire voglia di scrivere una storia ambientata in un mondo in cui tutte le persone hanno fiori nei capelli. Prima o poi lo faccio.
Charming, bright illustrations in a loose yet vivacious style guide the reader with a gentle nudge to be aware of the needs of friends, and to have compassion for others on each others own terms. Simple, delicate, heartwarming, and huggable.
I almost broke down crying at the bookshop reading this, such a precious story and such beautiful drawings. An adult length book on this story could heal all my trauma.
Sometimes you read a picturebook and it just hits way too close to home for comfort and you can't really fully express that because , ya know, it's a picture book and people who don't read picture books as much as other people just DON'T understand
Very pretty illustrations but super pointless story. I guess I was waiting for some sort of meaning or metaphor but it seems that the whole point of the story is: Isn't it interesting to think about a boy with flowers in his hair?
SUMMARY: There's a boy with flowers for hair. One day the flowers die. So his classmate makes paper flowers for the boy to wear. And then eventually the boy's hair flowers grow back. The end.