Raymond's Perfect Present

November 1, 2002
Gr 2-4-A gentle story of a single mom and a loving son. Raymond's mother is not well. He can't afford the flowers he would like to give her, but he does have enough money for seeds. As he watches them grow into plants, his mother is taken to the hospital. While she is there, the flowers bloom, attract beautiful butterflies, and wilt. The boy is devastated, but when his mother comes home and discovers the birds enjoying the seeds from the dried flowers, she is delighted with her perfect present. Wang's illustrations are "rendered in pencil, scanned into a computer, and then further designed with Adobe Photoshop-." The contrast of hospital starkness and floral vibrancy nicely supports the text. The story is too long for storytime but would be comforting as a read-aloud with a child who has a hospitalized relative. Raymond's successful gift and his mother's recovery will both reassure and please youngsters. This admirable first book is a lovely tale of triumph over the adversity of illness and limited resources.-Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2002
K-Gr. 2. Raymond wants to give flowers to his convalescing mother, but can't afford them. At the suggestion of his neighbor, Mrs. Silver, and with pots and soil from her husband, Raymond plants some seeds, planning to surprise his mother. Unfortunately, she must return to the hospital just as his flowers are blooming, and by the time she's back home, the blossoms have withered. Raymond is disheartened, but both son and mother enjoy a wonderful surprise the next morning: birds have come to pluck the seeds. The pencil-and-computer-generated pictures accentuate Raymond's loneliness, worry, and love for his mother. The character's Asian features are subtly drawn, and the single-parent household is portrayed primarily through the art. The elderly Silvers take care of Raymond while his mother is gone and then bring his mother home in a taxi, tending to them as family. It is a reminder that crisis creates untraditional families, even in big cities.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)