Customer Reviews

Dandelions

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This beautifully illustrated(Greg Shed) picture book tells the story of a pioneer family settling in the Mid-West. Mama, Papa and their two daughters, Zoe and Rebecca have left the security of home in Illinois to settle on the Prairie. Papa and Zoe make a pact that they will help Mama feel better about living on the Prairie. After Zoe and her sister plant a patch of dandelions on the roof of their sod house, Mama agrees that their family is hardy and will bloom just as the dandelions are sure to do. This book, told from Zoe's viewpoint, is a touching recount of the feelings of the sodbusters. Would be very useful for primary teachers and media specialists in the mid-west states.

DANDELIONS is a very moving story. It does an excellent job in describing the struggles and bravery of a pioneer family. Although it doesn't detail why the family had to leave Illinois (their home), it does show readers that even back then parents may not have always agreed on family issues. Through the dialogue in the story it is apparent that the family wants their apprehensive, pregnanat mother to be happy, and they strive to make her so. The painted illustrations by Shed were very true-to-life and warm; they establish the setting and mood of each page. Further, the pictures helped define the characters by showing emotion through facial expressions and body language. Of course, those factors contributed in reinforcing the text. Despite the fact that the artwork has a warm fuzz to it (almost giving a surrealistic feel), attention to detail was definitely established, giving the story realism and life.

My third grade class read Dandelions as a large group. We loved the pictures and the characters.It was very interesting learning about the way families settled the land. We decided that the book was showing us that families are like dandelions and they both grow with love and caring.

This is my most favorite children's book in the whole world. If you miss out on this book, you're missing the best! The illustrations are incredible, and the story is one that touches the heart.

Zoe, traveling with her family to Nebraska, knows her mother has doubts about moving to an unsettled territory, but her father is unable to provide for them back in Illinois where they lived with her grandparents. When they arrive at their staked-out territory and commence to digging a well and building their sod house, Mama's doubts continue to weigh on her and she pines for her old home. On Mama's birthday Papa takes Zoe to town for supplies and a small gift. As they leave the town, Zoe spies a clump of dandelions to be her gift. They carefully transplant them to the sod roof, but when morning comes the flowers are wilted and sad. Zoe pleads, "They'll bloom, Mama -- they're strong, just like us." Mama is quiet, and Zoe knows that somehow the conversation is about more than the flowers. Mama tells her she must be patient, it's hard for flowers to be transplanted, and the story ends with a visual scene of a little sod house on an open prairie, roof covered in yellow blooms.

This beautiful story captures the courage of Americans who risked everything to settle in unknown lands. It features a strong female protagonist who supports her father's leadership and shows genuine love toward her mother and sister. In a book of this length much is necessarily left out -- you will have to read On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House) or Sod Houses on the Great Plains to learn how a soddie is built -- but Bunting's spare text gives just enough detail to evoke the feelings these settlers must have experienced, leaving the reader with the desire to learn more about this piece of American history.

The complex emotional themes of hope, loneliness and fear, with the symbolism of transplanted flowers to stand for Mama's loneliness, may require explanation for younger readers. This book is probably best suited for ages 5-8.

Dandelions is one of the best books I have ever read. It tells about the historic events about everybody moving to the Great Plains. It shows the hardships the people back then had to go through. I was a very true book.

I also liked the characters, too.They had cool talents and were funny like when Rebecca said, "We really dug a hole to China?", the author made me feel sad for them. He explains the characters well, too. It is one of the best books I have ever read because of how good the author writes this book.

Tucker DME

My favorite book buddy book is called "Dandelions". I like it because alot because it really makes me realise what i have.It's very touching story to read.I realise that how much I really have! I need to be greacous,I need to spend more time with my family,too.
It teaches me I need to work and play less.I don't need to ask for everything I see.Now I realize how much I have and that I need to love my family more and more,also appreciate them.This book is great.I love this book.
By:Gracen Kerr

How you ever felt good of what you have accomplished? Well I have!The book Dandelions was very touching to me because people like me at my age should be thanking God because we don't have to move around and build sodies. It's sad because they had to dig a hole to get some water in a little water bucket. It is a lot of hard work to dig up a hole and get some water every day. Their house was made out of mud and water, sometimes snakes would come out of the walls!

It would be awesome to meet the people in the book if they were real. It would also be awesome if wagons were still here in modern time. If you sell it to someone who likes old history wagons,they would be interested. I think the book was inspiring to me because it would want to make me a better person. Papa said'Mama and I have to talk things over with you'. When I read that it made me want to read it again. It was very interesting.

Ruth
DME

I picked DANDELIONS because it taught us about the 1800's. And how people lived back then. And how bad it was then. And how hard they tried to get there.

The people had to build sod houses. And how people died on the way to the prairie. But when they got there nobody was there. Some people went back. That is what I thought about DANDELIONS.

Kie
DME

Why I choose Dandelions is because it taught me about history. It help me to understand. This book taught me that people had to move out west.

Why I like this book is because it taught me a lot. It helped me to understand that most people did not want to move out west. They had hard times but they had to move so they could make money.

Alaina
DME