Fantastic Flowers by Susan Stockdale

Fantastic Flowers, Written & Illustrated by Susan Stockdale Children’s nonfiction/nature, Ages 4-94    222.peachtree-online.com

 

Learning to see involves looking closely and learning the language to describe what is right before our eyes.  Fantastic Flowers is a perfect introduction for budding gardeners to explore the blooms in the flower beds of the world.  Susan Stockdale’s beautiful illustration of the shapes of flowers that look like upside down pants, prim ballerinas, or wild baboons introduces early readers to an imaginative view of nature.  A flower is not just a flower but can be compared to the shapes of other known objects. A hybrid Osteospermum spirals out in the shape of spoons, the hybrid Calceolaria represents a purse with a flap.  Teaching children to name what they see helps them remember and will spark their curiosity to look more closely at the beauty of the world.

Just as the reader reaches the end of the colorful illustrations, Stockdale delivers the scientific and common names of the flowers complete with photographs for the fancifully illustrated flowers in the first section of the book. This is when the beginning reader could benefit from climbing onto the lap of an experienced gardener. Cuddle up with your little sprout for a great read and a dash of creativity leaving you inspired to plant flowers, all from the book Fantastic Flowers.

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