La florecita de la maleza/The Little Weed Flower

PreS-Gr 3—With a hawk's help, a blooming weed, harassed by others of its kind, is noticed and loved by the gardener. Moved to the garden, she is likewise scorned by the flowers. When her blossoms begin to wilt, she encourages them to deepen their roots until the gardener returns. After receiving water, they realize that they cannot be truly beautiful without the gardener's love. Using pastel pencils, the artist works her magic to create a garden filled with vibrant colors, earth tones, and multiple greens. Plants peer out with humanlike faces. Text appears on either side of the large, double-page illustrations. One side contains English, the opposite accurately translated Spanish. Small, secondary illustrations, such as a snail looking into the gardener's hole or a frog jumping on the weed, often appear under the blocks of text. Reminiscent of Margery Williams's The Velveteen Rabbit, in which love makes something real, this allegorical story will appeal to a wide audience.—Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WA