The Rare, Tiny Flower

A deeply moving and thoughtful poem, in the form of a parable, that celebrates difference, tolerance, and unity. A mysterious flower looks different to each viewer, which leads to strife as everyone insists that their vision is “right.” Leaders and even botanists are unable to agree on the nature of the flower—it takes a young girl to point out that the flower is, in fact, quite multidimensional.

 

"Children’s books — particularly picture books — that tackle the subject of war in sensitive and reassuring ways are rare. Figuring out how to explain such morbid business to children presents a serious challenge for authors and illustrators...The encouraging news is that a growing number of publishers are finding effective ways to address this subject without diminishing its gravity(...) "Kitty O'Meara's The Rare, Tiny Flower, illustrated by Quim Torres, relies on metaphor to introduce children to the often trivial reasons for war."
New York Times article