National Trust: Annabelle and Flower

By Author / Illustrator

Em Lynas, illus Anuska Allepuz

Genre

Environment & Nature

Age range(s)

Publisher

Nosy Crow

ISBN

9781839949623

Format

Hardback

Published

13-02-2025

Synopsis

When a lonely cow called Annabelle finds a tiny flower one spring day, it brings a dance to her step and a smile to her moo. Over time, the flower grows, blooms and changes colour, until one day autumn comes and blows all the petals away. Poor Annabelle is alone again, until spring returns and she finds a new flower . . . and another . . . and another!

This story explores the four seasons and the circle of life and features hopeful messages about friendship and the passing of time. A warm, funny picture book about the circle of life - with bright neon colours throughout! With bright, stylish artwork and cleverly designed typography, it is published in collaboration with the National Trust.

From the author of The Cat and the Rat and the Hat, The Goat and the Stoat and the Boat and The Bear and the Hare and the Fair.

Find out more in our Q&A with Em Lynas.

Download Extract

Reviews

Elen

National Trust: Annabelle and Flower by Em Lynas, illustrated beautifully by Anuska Allepuz, is a gentle but powerful story about friendship, and loss, but also about finding solace in new experiences and relationships. Annabelle and Flower also brings to life the passing of seasons and changes in nature through life cycles.

Annabelle the cow lives in a field, where she is happy munching grass all day long, until the day she spots a bud, which flowers and comforts her throughout the summer until its inevitable loss in the winds of autumn. The spreads show how the flower brings colour and light into Annabelle's life, just by being there, and the wintery spread once the flower has gone reflects how lonely Annabelle becomes without it.

These pages about growth and changes, and the depictions of the seasons passing, are perfect for starting discussions about the seasons and life cycles with very young children, and even possibly loss and bereavement.

The final pages, where many flowers now bloom and flourish in Annabelle's field - we see her playing with her young calf - show how joyous life can be with new friends and family alongside us. This is a gentle story that allows much room for discussion, about friendships, life cycles and seasons, and the text is perfectly complemented by the wonderful illustrations.

Picture book / Reviewed by Elen Green