That's not a daffodil by Elizabeth Honey

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Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742372488
(Age 3-6) Recommended. When Tom sees the bulb that Mr Yilmaz, his gardening neighbour gives him, he is convinced that it is not a daffodil. It looks like an onion to him. But Mr Yilmaz convinces him to plant it and wait and see what grows.
Tom is an imaginative child and as the plant grows he visualises many different things. The bare soil is a desert, a single stork is a beak and as the five leaves of the daffodil grow, he thinks that it is Grandpa's hairs blowing in the wind. Children, too, will have fun imagining different things as they watch the emergence of the daffodil.
Adults who enjoy gardening will love reading this book to children. Mr Yilmaz is obviously such a wonderful gardener and each time he comes in he brings another delicious vegetable or fruit for the family to consume. The story would stimulate children and adults to plant a bulb or some other flower or vegetable and watch it grow. Children can also learn very easily the basics of how to grow and look after plants. I can imagine using this book as the basis for a classroom activity and reading it again and again to stimulate children's imagination and knowledge of plants.
Most of all, though, it is a beautifully written and illustrated book that is a joy to read.
Pat Pledger

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