Raymond's Perfect Present [Hardcover]

Therese On Louie (Author), Suling Wang (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Raymond's mother is in the hospital, and he wants to give her a good gift when she gets home. He notices a young woman's pleasure at getting flowers, and thinks this might be the ideal present. Since he doesn't have enough money to buy flowers, Raymond decides to grow them from seeds. But with the flowers starting to wilt, and his mother not yet home, he fears she will never see his gift after all. What happens is more perfect than anything Raymond could have planned in this sensitive and color illustrated story of a child's love for his mother.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-A gentle story of a single mom and a loving son. Raymond's mother is not well. He can't afford the flowers he would like to give her, but he does have enough money for seeds. As he watches them grow into plants, his mother is taken to the hospital. While she is there, the flowers bloom, attract beautiful butterflies, and wilt. The boy is devastated, but when his mother comes home and discovers the birds enjoying the seeds from the dried flowers, she is delighted with her perfect present. Wang's illustrations are "rendered in pencil, scanned into a computer, and then further designed with Adobe Photoshop-." The contrast of hospital starkness and floral vibrancy nicely supports the text. The story is too long for storytime but would be comforting as a read-aloud with a child who has a hospitalized relative. Raymond's successful gift and his mother's recovery will both reassure and please youngsters. This admirable first book is a lovely tale of triumph over the adversity of illness and limited resources.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. Raymond wants to give flowers to his convalescing mother, but can't afford them. At the suggestion of his neighbor, Mrs. Silver, and with pots and soil from her husband, Raymond plants some seeds, planning to surprise his mother. Unfortunately, she must return to the hospital just as his flowers are blooming, and by the time she's back home, the blossoms have withered. Raymond is disheartened, but both son and mother enjoy a wonderful surprise the next morning: birds have come to pluck the seeds. The pencil-and-computer-generated pictures accentuate Raymond's loneliness, worry, and love for his mother. The character's Asian features are subtly drawn, and the single-parent household is portrayed primarily through the art. The elderly Silvers take care of Raymond while his mother is gone and then bring his mother home in a taxi, tending to them as family. It is a reminder that crisis creates untraditional families, even in big cities. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books (April 20, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584300558
• ISBN-13: 978-1584300557
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,839,915 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gorgeous Book, September 5, 2002

By 

Traci S. Grigg (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raymond's Perfect Present (Hardcover)

This story is lovely and heartwarming. The pictures are luminous. This book is itself the "perfect" present.

5.0 out of 5 stars Raymond's Perfect Present, August 24, 2002

By 

Jane Morris Udovic (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raymond's Perfect Present (Hardcover)

RAYMOND'S PERFECT PRESENT is a quiet,thoughtful story that reminds us that sometimes acts of love bring joy in unexpected ways. In her gentle portrayal of Raymond, the author, Therese On Louie, acknowledges that the small acts of a child really do matter.

The soft tones of this beautifully illustrated book add a richness to the text.