Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
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Book Reviews of Chrysanthemum
Book Review: The Need For Hugs, Kisses And Parcheesi
Summary: 5 Stars
CHRYSANTHEMUM wonderfully explores the common but often painful transition from safe preschool life at home to the larger world of life at school. Chrysanthemum is a sweet little mouse eager to start school who is soon mocked by her more conventionally named classmates for her thirteen letter long flower name her mother and father find "perfect". Though her classmate's taunts make her "wilt" at school she "blooms" at home in the evening from the comfort of her understanding parents and their hugs, kisses and games of Parcheesi. This picture book is a great read aloud since Chrysanthemum's comically cruel peers can be given individual humorous voices by the reader. All is resolved with a creative, happy (albeit far fetched) ending and the book can also be a good starting point for class discussions on tolerance and kindness to others. Cute, appealing drawings by author/illustrator Kevin Henkes really enhance this beautiful little story.Book Review: Pure delight!
Summary: 5 Stars
This was the first Kevin Henkes book I bought. I got it as a Christmas present for my 4-year-old daughter. To say she loves it would be an understatement! I've become a big fan of Henkes, adding "Owen", "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse", "Sheila Rae, The Brave", "Weekend with Wendell" and "Wemberly Worries" to the collection. I'd also recommend the card game, which I think is called "Lilly's 3 for all" or something like that. Like the books, it draws on characters from across the different titles. (And my duaghter STILL wants to know when Victor will get his own book...and why these characters aren't in a movie. I'm with her on that. Wouldn't it be great to see the world of Kevin Henkes brought to "life"? Look how well "Little Bear" translated to animation.)All-in-all, it's fun reading, delightful art, and some valuable lessons for kids.
Book Review: An absolutely perfect name!
Summary: 5 Stars
Chrysanthemum adores her name until she goes to school and gets teased about it. The kids pick at her because she's named after a flower, and her name is so long. The class has a music teacher who happens to be pregnant. She hears the children's opinions of Chrysanthemum's name and announces to the class that she also has a long name and is named after a flower. And, if her baby is a girl, she is thinking of naming her - Chrysanthemum! The kids change their minds about Chrysanthemum's name and decide that it really is pretty cool. The teacher has her baby, and named her Chrysanthemum.
This has long been one of our favorite books, I enjoy reading this as much as my daughter does listening to it! The story is cute, with a good little message and the pictures are adorable!
Book Review: YOU REALLY CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE
Summary: 5 Stars
What a wonderful, sensitive and timely book. School is hard for kids. It is harder for some than others, but all children go through some sort of ordeal similar to our little heroine mouse. If not, then they are the kids that are dishing out the grief and need the lesson this book teaches even more than the child that is taking all the teasing. Eather way, this is a good work, excellent to read to the class as a whole or excellent to read with your child one on one. The illustrations are great and very much go with the text. This is one of my favorites, but more importantly, it seems to be the favorite of many of the children at the school. Recommend this one highly.Book Review: Possibly my favorite children's book ever
Summary: 5 Stars
Henkes' books really are fabulous and Chrysanthemum tops them all. He captures the language of children so well and always seems to include little details designed to make any adult laugh. I have an unusual name that I now love, but I spent most of my childhood wishing my parents had named me Sarah. It sounds silly but the first time I read this book (at 25 years old) I honestly felt like it helped heal some of the "trauma" I experienced as a child from people who didn't know how to handle my name. I now give this book to any mom I know who has given her daughter an unusual name. I know I wish I would have had this to read when I was younger.