From the first puffed dandelion, blown by a Black girl in a burnt orange landscape, dandelion seeds fly across a plain in Africa. "Down with a root. Up with a shoot. A little dandelion blooms in Africa." The dandelions continue their journey across Asia, where a panda releases the seeds, on to Australia, then seeds hitch a ride on the pants of a Black child on a ship and the seeds bloom anew in North America. Seeds are eaten and carried to South America, in a plop of bird poop, then on the ocean to Antarctica. They zip to Europe and the little dandelion has traveled the world, rooting, sprouting, and growing anew on every continent. The final spread shows a child on each continent holding up a white puff of a dandelion. A simple author's note gives a few facts about dandelions and encourages readers to imagine themselves traveling just like a dandelion.
The art is rich and bold, with luscious greens, bright reds, and sparkling white snow among the many landscapes shown. The children's rich skin tones reflect the variety and diversity of their homes, although no child is pictured in the spreads on Asia and Australia, until the children shown on the map at the end.
The dandelions in Antarctica isn't quite accurate - as is posing a child on that continent - but this is a minor quibble with an overall excellent informational book. Readers planning to use this in storytime will want to rehearse a little, as some of the text can be hidden in the pictures, but overall this will be a fun storytime read-aloud. Use for mapping, geography, traveling, or plant themes and pair with activities investigating and learning more about the humble but important dandelion.
Verdict: A recommended addition to most library collections.
ISBN: 9781534110533; Published March 2021 by Sleeping Bear Press; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library
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