TITLE . Danny the Dandelion 

Author: . Denise Gasta

Cover Art/illustrations: Gregory Michel.

Line/Publisher: . Writer's Exchange E-Publishing

Release Date: . 2001 ISBN: 1-876962-07-0 eBook

Entertaining read recommended 3.35 stars

 Danny the dandelion is befriended by a lonely little boy Kai. Danny has met only rebuff from the adults who mow the lawn where he lives and the flowers that live in the flower beds.

Danny is a weed. Kai sees instead a pretty yellow flower. Danny survives despite being mowed. The narrative writer Gasta produces in Danny is one children will enjoy.

However, I felt concerned that Daddy was so unconcerned about his child’s feelings and continued to try to destroy the dandelion after his youngster had spent many hours and days weeping. I was happy to see Kai grow up to continue to see beyond the superficial, but would have liked to see Daddy become a bit more understanding.

The illustrations found on the pages of Danny are not the usual slick ‘commercial’ type and I like that. This is a book directed toward the children who will enoy and not the adults who will be buying. Too often children’s books are produced in a manner to entice the adults and not the child audience.

The illustrations produced by Gregory Michel appear to be drawn and colored a la Syd Hof… a technique children in my class room always enjoyed very much.

As a teacher I would like to see a word list added to the end of the book with grade level indicated for each word.

The narrative will have appeal to the 3-8 set, however the vocabulary at times is beyond most readers in that age group. As an aid to Teachers and Parents I would like to see an indication of target audience added.

The multiple file format is my least favorite for children’s ‘read alone’ works. However once the younger set is shown where to begin I do not think kids will find the book difficult to navigate. A button appears at the bottom of the first page leading the reader to the second, and so forth. Children will not need to click each file in order to read. The multiplicity of files can be a tad daunting for little folks to view at first.

The one line I would like to see changed is when Kai asks why the big people always take away everything he likes. Other than Danny we are not presented with an example of the adults taking away anything. Despite the multiple files and my small upset with Dad,

Danny is a book used with success in my own classroom.

The tale itself is endearing, is one children will enjoy and the illustrations are child appealing.

Reviewed by: molly martin

 classroom teacher