Max and the Dumb Flower Picture

PreS-Gr 1—Poor Max is having a terrible day due to his class assignment to color a "dumb flower picture" as a Mother's Day present. Even a preschooler knows that his mother will not appreciate a coloring book picture, and prefers to create original art instead. In utter frustration, Max runs outside the classroom into the bushes. While there, he draws his own special flower, and the other students emulate him with dazzling results. Martha Alexander died in 2006, and she left the book's text and unfinished illustrations to James Rumford who fleshed out the illustrations. In a note following the simple story, Rumford states that "Martha Alexander felt children need to feel the freedom of creativity—to look upon a blank sheet of paper and see possibilities, not limitations." Adults and children will marvel at the book's end papers which are filled with a variety of original, colorful flowers created by the author's relatives and friends in a myriad of styles. Page-turn signals are optional. Pamela Arkin narrates this little gem that will find its place in kindergarten art classes, as a first grade read-along, or as a Mother's Day read-aloud.—Lonna McKeon Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY