A Honey of a Day - Hardcover

Marshall, Janet

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0688169171 ISBN 13: 9780688169176

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 2000

Synopsis

Using her trademark cut-paper illustrations and ingeniously playing with the names of twenty-six wildflowers, Janet Marshall has cultivated a woodland cast of animal characters and a one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony between sweet William and black-eyed Susan--and you're invited! Clever wordplay fun and a humorous introduction to nature's treasure trove of flowers make for a picture book that blooms all year round.

About this title

About the Author:

In A Honey of a Day, Janet Marshall ingeniously plays with the names of no less than twenty-eight wildflowers. "Since I was a child I have been intrigued with wildflowers and the wonderful possibilities their names held," she says. Janet Marshall is also the author-artist of Banana Moon and Look Once, Look Twice (Ticknor & Fields). She has four grown children and lives with her husband, Colin, in Hingham, Massachusetts (not far from the famous wildflower preserve, Garden in the Woods, in the town of Faringham).

In A Honey of a Day, Janet Marshall ingeniously plays with the names of no less than twenty-eight wildflowers. "Since I was a child I have been intrigued with wildflowers and the wonderful possibilities their names held," she says. Janet Marshall is also the author-artist of Banana Moon and Look Once, Look Twice (Ticknor & Fields). She has four grown children and lives with her husband, Colin, in Hingham, Massachusetts (not far from the famous wildflower preserve, Garden in the Woods, in the town of Faringham).

From Publishers Weekly:

Marshall (Banana Moon) plants the names of 28 wildflowers in this tale of a forest wedding, while her dynamic cut-paper collages imply the relationship between specific flowers and the objects for which they are named. Thus, as the story begins, "Trumpets blared, bluebells rang, and blue flags waved." Robins hold trumpets, a squirrel waves blue pennants and blue bells peal; while below, these three types of wildflowers, clearly labeled, flourish. The narrative feels fluid even with so many allusions: "At four-o'clock Jack-in-the-pulpit, the preacher, looking smart in his bishop's cap, raised his goldenrod to welcome [the guests]." Wisely, the illustrations don't force the resemblance between wildflower and namesake; instead, children will be intrigued to find the similarities for themselves. Not all the naming devices become apparent (e.g., the casting of the brown bear groom as Sweet William sheds no light on why a flower would have this name). However, kids lucky enough to know their wildflowers will enjoy the wordplay; kids less bent toward horticulture will be tickled to learn of flowers called four-o'clock, marsh mallow and butter-and-eggs. On the whole, this exercise comes up roses. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0688169171
• ISBN 13: 9780688169176
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 24
• Illustrator: Marshall Janet