Module 10: Dandelions

Book Summary:  Zoe and her family are on their way from Illinois in a covered wagon.  Zoe’s mother is expecting a baby and unlike the rest of the family is having a difficult time adjusting to the changes and is often overcome by loneliness.  Soon the family reaches their new home, but there is nothing to see for miles around except for the plains.  They soon have a home and a well and everyone seems to settle in except Momma.  Zoe brings dandelions for Momma and plants them on their roof.  At the end of the book you can see the beautiful flowers creating a bright yellow roof.

My Impressions: Dandelions is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book that could be used with a wide variety of age groups for a range of activities.  The beautiful paintings that were originally were done on canvas make each page a new discovery.  The story is very well told with the illustrations supporting the story time and keeping you engrossed throughout.

Professional Review:  Zoe and her family have traveled by covered wagon from Illinois to the Nebraska Territory. As they build a sod house and meet new neighbors. Papa can barely contain his enthusiasm. Mama, on the other hand, remains quiet, thinking of the family and memories left behind. On a trip to town with her father for supplies, Zoe spots a mass of dandelions and realizes that the flowers are much like her family--they may be out of their element on the prairie, but they will survive and bloom in their new land. The gouache paintings capture the lonely panorama of the landscape, and the classically painted, sometimes faceless figures give the book a sense of universality. A solid choice for read-alouds, this may also be used with older, reluctant readers or students learning about the westward movement.

Library Uses: 

·       Begin a book talk about a variety of books about prairie life.

·       The dandelions were used in this book to by Zoe to represent caring and love for her mother.  Use a book mark to create something using a flower to show caring for someone special in your life.  This could be done around Mother’s Day. 

·       Read a novel which is set in approximately the same time and place and compare the characters and events to the ones in Dandelions.

Bunting, B. (1995).  Dandelions. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Weisman, K.  (1995, Sept. 15)  Review of Dandelions.  [Review of the book        Dandelions by E. Bunting].  Booklist 92 (2), p162.