Wild Rose's Weaving

August 1, 2011
Churchill's (Carmen's Sticky Scab) earnest testimony to the joy of creating art follows Wild Rose, who'd rather be outside exploring than learning how to weave with Grandma ("Wild Rose ran through the meadow. She kicked up dust and spooked the sheep. This has got to be better than weaving, she thought"). Inevitably, Grandma's work draws her in, and when she asks to be taught, Grandma has a smart reply: "Not now. Now I'm busy." Wild Rose's conversion, once Grandma explains the significance of the rug she's made, feels believable ("We come from the earth, we reach for the sky," Grandma says, "playing and growing in sunshine and storms"). Yet while her new discipline is a lovely step toward maturity, pitting the lure of the outdoors against the loom seems like a hard choice. Wong's (Only One Year) sympathies sometimes work crosswise to Churchill's message; in one of the strongest spreads, Wild Rose is seen with Grandma's flock of sheep, tiny figures adrift in an ocean of grass under massing thunderclouds. Despite Grandma's wisdom, some readers may feel that this is where the real magic lies. Ages 4â8.

August 15, 2011

Preachy and predictable, this well-intentioned effort tries too hard to convey the joy and value of creativity.

Wild Rose (her name, not a descriptor plus her name) would rather frolic in the fields with the woolly white sheep than watch her grandmother weave. She revels in the oncoming storm, dances in the rain and wades in the water, rejecting each of her grandmother's calls to come learn how to make a rug. Grandma starts (and, improbably enough, finishes) her rug in the time Wild Rose spends outdoors. Its beauty achieves what her entreaties have not—now Wild Rose wants to learn. Stilted and abstract, the text fails to enliven the slight plot. When Wild Rose is won over, it's because she looked at the rug and "saw life in its colors [and] felt peace in its pattern." Wong's illustrations, which appear to be a mix of pen and ink and watercolor, feature simply drawn figures and spare settings. They are attractive but fail to bring the characters to life. Some details suggest that perhaps Wild Rose and her grandmother are Native American, which could add interest and authenticity, but unfortunately this remains unclear.

Ultimately, neither the subject matter nor the presentation is likely to engage young listeners' interest; they'd be better off following Wild Rose's example and playing outside. (Picture book. 4-7)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-A charmingly illustrated picture book about a young girl who comes to appreciate the importance of family traditions. Grandma wants to teach Rose to weave, but the child has other plans. Accompanied by a pet sheep, she splashes in the river, dances in the wind, and frolics in the rain, as vibrant pen and watercolor illustrations bring her actions to life. Then, after seeing the colorful rug Grandma has created, Wild Rose understands how rewarding learning from her can be. Several spreads of landscapes establish a wide-open, bucolic setting with Wild Rose, Grandma, and their flock of sheep as its only inhabitants. Soft-hued greens, yellows, and blues make this potentially desolate backdrop feel familiar and inviting, even during a brief thunderstorm. Visible pen strokes add texture to the setting, such as the rolling hills or the furnishings of Grandma's cottage. Fun background details-the sheep briefly sporting one of Rose's scarves, Grandma's cat unraveling balls of yarn-will enchant readers. The narrative skillfully employs repetition, like Wild Rose's refrain of "This has got to be better than weaving" as she amuses herself outdoors. However, Grandma's speech about weaving borders on preachy: "A rug is not just a rug....It's a picture of life." This heavy-handed message about the deeper meaning of the craft won't resonate with children, but the warm, appealing illustrations will keep them engaged.-Mahnaz Dar, formerly at Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2011
Preschool-G Grandma wants to teach Rose how to weave, but Rose always says, Not now. She has better things to do, like playing in the meadow, chasing sheep, and whirling in the windall things that have to be more fun than weaving. But at the end of the day, when Rose sees her grandmother's rug, with its patterns evoking the meadow and sky and sunshine, Rose is ready to learn how to weave. But then it's Grandma turn to say, Not now. She has something better to dodancing with her granddaughter under a rainbow. Not heavy on actual weaving (grandma's rug rises up the loom quickly, and Rose learns the skill immediately), this is instead a cozy celebration of simple joys in life and of a treasured art form lovingly passed from one generation to the next. Churchill's spare, peaceful words and Wong's pastel watercolors offer up a lovely sentiment about storytelling: it comes in different forms, even through the patterns of yarn in a rug.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)