Have You Ever Seen a Flower? is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Shawn Harris. It tells the story of a kid who leaves the big city to visit a meadow, where they are challenged to use all their five senses to explore nature. The book was published by Chronicle Books on May 4, 2021, and was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor.
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| Author | Shawn Harris |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Harris |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Picture book, children’s book |
| Publisher | Chronicle Books |
Publication date | May 4, 2021 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 48 |
| Awards | Caldecott Honor |
| ISBN | 978-1-4521-8270-4 |
Reception
editKirkus Reviews called the work of Shawn Harris "[a] visual feast teeming with life," and highlighted the author's art style, which they say "evoke Oaxacan design."[1] Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review and said "[w]ith assurance and passion in his solo debut, Harris [...] connects readers to the stirrings of life in all its forms."[2]
Writing for The Horn Book, Megan Dowd Lambert praised Harris' illustrations as vibrant and rich, and noted they have a "naive style," which, combined with "playfully inquisitive text," is used to "imply a child as ostensible artist." Lambert also compares the style of the writing to those found in books by Margaret Wise Brown and Ruth Krauss.[3]
Have You Ever Seen a Flower? was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor in 2022.[4]
References
edit- ^ "HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FLOWER?". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ "Children's Book Review: Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ Lambert, Megan Dowd. "Review of Have You Ever Seen a Flower? by Shawn Harris". The Horn Book. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ^ Roback, Diane; Kantor, Emma (January 24, 2022). "Barba Higuera, Chin, Boulley Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz Awards". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved February 3, 2022.