Review - Dandy

Dandy
by Ame Dyckman
illustrated by Charles Santoso
Date: 2019
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

From popular author Ame Dyckman and rising star Charles Santoso comes the laugh-out-loud story of a father desperate to destroy the dandelion marring his perfectly manicured lawn, and his daughter's fierce attempts to save it.

When Daddy spots a solitary weed in his lawn, he's appalled (along with all of his neighborhood friends). But his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with the beautiful flower, even going so far as to name it Charlotte. Racing against time and the mockery of his friends, Daddy has to find a way to get rid of the errant dandelion without breaking his little girl's heart.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is pretty stinking cute.

A leonine family's suburban utopia is marred by the appearance of a single dandelion in the yard. *gasp!* But before Daddy can get to it, his daughter Sweetie has already fallen in love with the flower... and even named it. Daddy tries in vain to get rid of Charlotte, but it seems that Sweetie is always around. By the time he finally gets his chance, he's not so sure anymore... because he knows how much Charlotte means to his daughter.

With touches of humour, this sweet little story is relatable to anyone who's ever lived in the suburbs. Even if you're not obsessed with weeds, one of your neighbours probably is. This book shows what happens when that obsession is taken to its logical conclusion... and it isn't pretty (although it is kind of funny).

The illustrations are super cute, and the accompanying text strikes just the right note.

I'd definitely recommend this one to readers looking for books about the father/daughter dynamic, as well as to readers who enjoy seeing anthropomorphized animals do things like mow the lawn.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.33 out of 5