REVIEW: Happy World Environment Day!

​I’m all for protecting the environment and so are the characters in this book (well, eventually): 

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​TITLE: DANDY
AUTHOR: Ame Dyckman
ILLUSTRATOR: Charles Santoso
PUBLISHER: Little, Brown and Company/2019
OPENING LINES:

Daddy spied something scary on his perfect lawn. 
He ran for his clippers…
But he was too late.
“Hi, Daddy!”
“Sweetie!” Daddy said. “That’s a weed!”
“A flower,” Sweetie said. “Her name is Charlotte. She’s my best friend.”

​Daddy, in this case a lion, takes his lawn very seriously. So when he spies a dandelion growing in the middle of his yard, he knows what he has to do. Unfortunately for Daddy, his adorable lion cub daughter Sweetie, has other plans. What’s a lawn-perfectionist dad to do? Ame Dyckman’s spare text and Charles Santoso’s hilarious illustrations tackle the age-old battle between parent and child: Is a dandelion a pesky weed or a beautiful flower? This book has it all: A perfect title, a jacket cover that depicts the book’s theme, a surprise-under-the-jacket case cover that puts a spotlight on the book’s co-star (the dandelion), front end papers that set the scene, just-right text to tell the story, hilarious illustrations that relate story beyond the words, a story and ending with humor and heart, back end papers that show changed main characters and supporting characters, and even a funny author note, as only Ame Dyckman can write. Plus lions, giraffes, hippos, bears, monkeys, tractors, mad scientists, pirates, and dandelions! Whew! This book is a winner for adult and child!
 
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