Footpath Flowers

In this wordless book, a little girl collects flowers as she makes her way home with her father who pays no attention to her or to their surroundings. She gives the flowers as gifts to those she passes, touching their lives in a variety of ways. This is a beautiful book, both in sentiment and illustration. Seeing the world through the eyes of the child encourages us to notice and wonder at everything. Clever use of colour in monochrome pictures draws the reader's attention to the subtle changes along their journey. One of the best things about this book is the way it allows for much imaginative exploration and discussion. The attitude of the father - busy and impatient in the way of so many adults - contrasts starkly with the child's attention to detail. Both their stories could be told, allowing for the different viewpoints to be explored. The effect of 'random acts of kindness' can clearly be seen and appreciated in these pages. Fabulous book! 32 pages / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Footpath Flowers (now available in paperback) is delicate, beautiful and carries a poignant message. Through its exquisite ink and watercolour illustrations, Footpath Flowers tells the story of a young girl and her distracted father. As they walk home, through the bustling city, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places, gathering the flowers that have grown through the gaps and cracks in their grey concrete surroundings. All the while, her father is oblivious to the little treasures his daughter gathers and does not notice as she shares the flowers with the animals and people she meets. With each little gesture of kindness, whether it is noticed or ignored, the world around her is transformed. Footpath Flowers is a testament to the joy and innocence of childhood, a time when magic can be found where you would least expect it. Wordless pictures are an invaluable resource for the home and classrooms, and this one is a particular gem as it can be enjoyed and used with children of all ages but most importantly, in depth discussions can take place without the need to be able to decode any text - perfect for older readers who may have excellent comprehension and reasoning skills but a lower reading age. Through discussion of the illustrations, comprehension and inference skills can be practised and children can be encouraged to ask questions: How do they know? Why do they think that? Children would benefit from discussing the messages Footpath Flowers carries - that even the smallest gesture of kindness is mutually beneficial - and linking them to their own experiences. The beautiful illustrations, and careful study of the artist's use of colour, create an excellent canvas for descriptive writing and children could use carefully selected language to describe contrasting scenes, focusing on building atmosphere with their chose vocabulary. This could develop into a written narrative of all or part of the story. Footpath Flowers is a real treasure and belongs in every school library and classroom. Picture Book /Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Torie Walton, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+

I really liked this book. I like the fact that is has no words and you need to use the pictures to tell the story. The girl is passing love and happiness on through the flowers she leaves as she walks along. She leaves flowers for the dead bird to show it is remembered. Everyone can tell this story in their own way.

Suggested Reading Age 11+