| View Larger Image | Chrysanthemum | Paperbackby Kevin Henkes (Author)
| List Price: | $6.99 | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | Mulberry Books | | Page Count: | 32 Pages | | Publication Date: | September 20, 1996 | | Sales Rank: | 19,486th |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9780688147327
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
She was a perfect baby, and she had a perfect name. Chrysanthemum. When she was old enough to appreciate it, Chrysanthemum loved her name. And then she started school. "I'm named after my grandmother," said Victoria. "You're named after a flower." Chrysanthemum wilted. Life at school didn't improve. In fact, it got worse. Then the students were introduced to their music teacher, Mrs. Twinkle. Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle. And suddenly, Chrysanthemum blossomed.... |
Amazon.com Review
Until Chrysanthemum started kindergarten, she believed her parents when they said her name was perfect. But on the first day of school, Chrysanthemum begins to suspect that her name is far less than perfect, especially when her class dissolves into giggles upon hearing her name read aloud. That evening, Chrysanthemum's parents try to piece her self-esteem back together again with comfort food and a night filled "with hugs, kisses, and Parcheesi." But the next day Victoria, a particularly observant and mean-spirited classmate, announces that Chrysanthemum's name takes up 13 letters. "That's half the letters in the alphabet!" she adds. Chrysanthemum wilts. Pretty soon the girls are making playground threats to "pluck" Chrysanthemum and "smell her." Kevin Henkes has great compassion for the victims of childhood teasing and cruelties--using fresh language, endearing pen-and-ink mouse characters, and realistic dialogue to portray real-life vulnerability. He also has great compassion for parents, offering several adult-humor jokes for anxious mommies and daddies. On the surface, the finale is overly tidy and the coincidences unbelievable. But in the end, what sustains Chrysanthemum, as well as this story, is the steadfast love and support of her family. And because of this, the closure is ultimately convincing and utterly comforting. ALA Notable Book, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare Honor List. (Ages 4 to 8) --Gail Hudson |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 81 reviews)
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Repetition, repetition, repetition. Precious, perfect, pass on this. by Susan Sheu (Santa Monica, CA USA)  2 Stars
November 10, 2009
Kevin Henkes is an incredible illustrator and has produced wonderful children's stories. However, this book is not one of them. My husband and I dread the nights when my child finds this book and asks us to read it. In short, the use of repetition in this book is unbearable. The story is okay, except that the parents' fixation of how "perfect" their daughter is, what a perfect name, and so on, is what the older generation thinks of as Gen X parents run amok with the preciousness of their progeny. (It's way too precious for this Gen X parent.) The "mean girls in kindergarten" story line is not handled in a very constructive way either. It's only through a fluke that Chrysanthemum avoids being bullied permanently by a group of 5-year-olds about her name. I look forward to better stories from this author in the future.
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Chrysanthemum by Misty Warren (Dallas, TX)  5 Stars
September 25, 2009
This is my favorite children's book. I use this book in middle school to teach them how to use cornell notetaking. The students love it and even start getting into the book.
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Chrysanthemum by Ann A. Drummond (Texarkana ,Tx) 5 Stars
May 28, 2009
Chrysanthemum is a wonderful book that helps children understand feelings and how to accept ones self despite thoughtless children and hurtful comments. As an elementary special education teacher, I enjoy reading this book at the begining of each school year.
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Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysamthemum! by K. Draper (oklahoma) 5 Stars
April 13, 2009
This book is "absolutely perfect". Just like Chrysanthemum; and her name, of course. A little mouse gets a flower-y name and she absolutely flourishes under the love of her wise and doting parents. All is right with the world! It's so fun to see the cute little mouse do all the small child things: eating in her highchair, riding her bike, looking at books, sleeping and growing. Each colorful page practically pops with joy! Like the day Chrysanthemum hops off to her first day of school.
But when she gets to school, she finds that the other children have short, one syllable names. Then there is Victoria. Vic-tor-i-a (hah! four syllables, too!) is a bit of a bully, and she makes fun of Chrysanthemum and her name and she gets the other little mouse-children to laugh at her, too. For the first time, the little girl with the big name has self-doubts. After a difficult first day, her parents meet her with open arms and re-assuring words, "Your name is beautiful," said her mother. "And precious and priceless and fascinating and winsome," said her father. The powerful love in this mouse-family is, in my opinion, the best part of the story. And I like the adjectives, too. Like the next day when her mom says, "They're just jealous.", and the Father adds, "And envious and begrudging and discontented and jaudiced." (Reminds me a bit of William Steig.)
When wonderful Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher, praises Chrysanthemum's name, the other children begin to think differently, and soon everyone wants to be "named after a flower". Chrysanthemum blushed, beamed and bloomed. Her name was perfect, after all! Really she knew it all the time, with all the love and self-assurance she learned at home. But no one enjoys being laughed at, and this little story has good lessons for both those who laugh as well as those who sometimes endure being laughed at.
Wonderful story, delightful pictures--a joy to read, again and again!
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Possibly my favorite children's book ever by Seattle Reader (Seattle, WA) 5 Stars
March 07, 2009
Henkes' books really are fabulous and Chrysanthemum tops them all. He captures the language of children so well and always seems to include little details designed to make any adult laugh. I have an unusual name that I now love, but I spent most of my childhood wishing my parents had named me Sarah. It sounds silly but the first time I read this book (at 25 years old) I honestly felt like it helped heal some of the "trauma" I experienced as a child from people who didn't know how to handle my name. I now give this book to any mom I know who has given her daughter an unusual name. I know I wish I would have had this to read when I was younger.
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SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| Sheila Rae, the Brave
by Kevin Henkes (Author), Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
Sheila Rae is not afraid of anything. She walks backwards with her eyes closed, steps on every crack, growls at stray dogs, and bares her teeth at stray cats. But when Sheila Rae becomes lost on the way home from school, it is her "scaredy cat" sister, Louise, who shows her a thing or two about bravery and sibling love.
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| Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
by Kevin Henkes (Author), Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized possessions. Lilly's fury leads to revenge and then to remorse and she sets out to make amends. Lilly, the star of Chester's Way and Julius, the Baby of the World, is back. And this time she has her name in the title - something she's wanted all along. If you thought...
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| A Weekend with Wendell
by Kevin Henkes (Author), Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
Wendell was spending the weekend at Sophie's house. Playing house, Wendell was the mother, the father, and the children; Sophie was the dog. Playing bakery, Wendell was the baker; Sophie got to be the sweet roll. Wendell shone his flashlight in Sophie's eyes when she tried to sleep. But when he gave her a new hairdo with shaving cream, it was the last straw, and Sophie made up a game that left Wendell speechless for a time --and won the day for friendship.
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| Julius, the Baby of the World
by Kevin Henkes (Author), Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
The riotously funny Lilly, last seen in Chester's Way (Greenwillow), thinks her new baby brother, Julius, is disgusting--if he was a number, he would be zero. But when Cousin Garland dares to criticize Julius, Lilly bullies her into loudly admiring Julius as the baby of the world.Lilly knows her baby brother is nothing but dreadful--until she claims him for her own. "Henkes displays a deep understanding of sibling rivalry and a child's fragile self-esteem....Lilly is a superb and timely...
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| Chester's Way
by Kevin Henkes (Author), Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
Chester and Wilson had their own way of doing things, and they did everything together. When they cut their sandwiches, it was always diagonally. When they rode their bikes, they always used hand signals. If Chester was hungry, Wilson was too. They were two of a kind, and that's the way it was - until indomitable Lilly, who had her own way of doing things, moved into the neighborhood.
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