Review - Time Is a Flower

Time Is a Flower
by Julie Morstad
Date: 2021
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 56
Format: e-book
Source: library

A playful and poignant exploration of the nature of time through the eyes of a child from acclaimed author/illustrator Julie Morstad.

What is time? Is it the tick tick tock of a clock, numbers and words on a calendar? It's that, but so much more. Time is a seed waiting to grow, a flower blooming, a sunbeam moving across a room. Time is slow like a spider spinning her web or fast like a wave at the beach. Time is a wiggly tooth, or waiting for the school bell to ring, or reading a story . . . or three! But time is also morning for some and night for others, a fading sunset and a memory captured in a photo taken long ago.

In this magical meditation on the nature of time, Julie Morstad shines a joyful light on a difficult-to-grasp concept for young readers and reminds older readers to see the wonders of our world, including children themselves, through the lens of time.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one. It sounded similar to Sara Cassidy's The Moon Is a Silver Pond and The Sun Is a Peach, both of which stretched metaphors to the point of nonsense. Time Is a Flower is an exploration of time, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it actually made sense! The metaphors are lovely, and simple enough for a young child to understand. Caterpillars and butterflies, moving sunbeams, and photographs that capture a mere instant are just some examples.

The appealing illustrations give the reader plenty to look at while they ponder over the various metaphors. It's a book that makes you think... and I quite enjoyed it.

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5