THE SPOTTY DOTTY DAFFODIL

This lovely, lovely new picture book acquisition by Sky Pony has universal appeal for boys and girls with its gentle less about body image and social acceptance.

A little bulb is planted with his brothers and sisters and dreams of becoming a bright, yellow daffodil. Come springtime, he and his siblings start to grow, grow, grow. But during the winter, the little bulb had caught a cold, so while the others bloom as proud, beautiful daffodils, he is small and spotted. The spotted daffodil hates his red dots and is ashamed to be around his pretty, yellow siblings, thinking himself ugly and unnatural. Unable to face his physical difference, he bends his flower in shame. But his special appearance is the very reason that Lucy chooses him. Having come outside for the first time since winter to play, Lucy is looking for a flower to give her Nana who is not feeling well. She chooses the little daffodil with dots because it is so unique and takes it inside the house to her grateful Nana. The story ends with the spotted daffodil waving to his brothers and sisters from the window, as they wish that they had rare red dots like him! G. Mannering is an English writer and international author of both adult and children’s fiction under various pen names.