🌺 Could a Single Flower Hold the Magic of Christmas? 🎄

If you’ve ever admired a bright red poinsettia by the fireplace and wondered where did this stunning flower come from?, then The Giving Flower: The Story of the Poinsettia by Alda P. Dobbs is a must-read! This beautifully written and illustrated picture book uncovers the rich history and legends behind this beloved holiday bloom.

🌿 A Journey Through Time

Dobbs takes us on a magical trip, starting with the humble beginnings of a wild yellow blossom in ancient Mexico. We meet the Nahuas, who first cultivated this enchanting plant long before it ever graced Christmas tables. The book weaves history and folklore seamlessly, sharing how the poinsettia became part of Mexico’s most cherished Christmas legend.

✨ More Than Just Red Leaves

Did you know poinsettias come in many colors and have countless names around the world? This book celebrates that diversity, teaching little readers (and grown-ups too!) fascinating facts about the flower’s journey from Mexico to becoming a global holiday icon—thanks in part to Mexico’s first U.S. ambassador who fell in love with its vibrant beauty.

🎨 A Feast for the Eyes

Emily Mendoza’s illustrations burst with life, dancing off the page in lush reds, greens, and golds. Each page feels like opening a holiday gift, making it a delight to explore again and again.

💖 Why You’ll Love It

The Giving Flower is more than a book about a plant—it’s a celebration of culture, tradition, and the small wonders that bring people together. It’s perfect for holiday storytimes, classroom read-alouds, or cozy nights by the tree.

So the next time you spot a poinsettia, you’ll remember the beautiful history and legends tucked within its colorful leaves. 📚✨

📌 Final Verdict

⭐ 5/5 Blossoms!
This lyrical story will plant seeds of wonder in every reader’s heart. Highly recommend for families, teachers, and anyone who loves discovering the stories behind our favorite traditions.

THE GIVING FLOWER provides readers with a beautifully illustrated and detailed history of the poinsettia. The book traces the history of this well-known flower, starting with the ancient Nahuas use of poinsettia for medicine and decoration and culminating with the story of how it became associated with the holiday season. The book successfully describes both changes in the flower itself over time and its cultural connections through history, especially its role in Mexican culture. Back matter and a detailed timeline provide additional depth to the content in the text. With its unique take on this traditional holiday symbol, this book makes a great addition to holiday story collections.

Just take a look at this cover to get a feel for the mood of a picture book that surely will become a cherished part of your Christmas collection. As you have most likely guessed, the giving flower is the one you have likely called poinsettia – and maybe argued over the pronunciation.

Alda Dobbs takes us back through history with the many twists and turns this flower has taken before becoming the much loved traditional plant. She includes fascinating legends, historical accounts, and scientific background entwined in the repeated line “wait and see” that will intrigue children and the adult who is reading to them. Both will learn that this is a well-traveled plant that picked up stories as it went along. (If you don’t have a child nearby, feel free to read it for yourself. Trust me, you will enjoy and learn from the book.)

Emily Mendoza who illustrated the book keeps the fun in the pictures she drew that feel like a proper accompaniment to the feel of the storyline.

The book comes out today on September 2 which means there will be time for many repeat readings to become acquainted with the lore of the poinsettia before Christmas. How many? We will just have to wait and see.

What a lovely book and a way to teach children about not only the poinsettia flower itself, but how it came to become a commercial success and the role it plays in the culture of Mexico. This would be a good classroom read close to the holidays and could be used in a variety of ways, a history lesson, an art lesson, a read-aloud with lots of discussion.

The book is beautifully illustrated thanks to Emily Mendoza's pictures. A great way to discuss the cultures of a specific country and the beauties of nature.

Such an interesting read, I had no idea that this christmas flowers have such a history!
Interesting, beautiful, enriching, everything a good childrens book should have.
Its even a learning experience for parents!

The Giving Flower: The Story of the Poinsettia (Hardcover)
by Alda P. Dobbs
The deeply religious use of Poinsettia flowers did not start with Christianity. The red flower has been adopted by many cultures for religious purposes. This book explores these historical uses and how it affects the current use and propagation of the plants.

This lovely book shows the long history of the Poinsettia and the human changes in which it represented changes. I enjoyed it very much.
The illustrations by Trisha B. Waters are simple, perfect in bright colors, and clear.
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from SOURCEBOOKS Kids | Sourcebooks Jabberwocky via NetGalley. Pub Date Sep 02, 2025 ***** #review #goodreads
#TheGivingFlower by Alda P. Dobbs @aldapdobbs illustrated by Emily Mendoza @em_mendoza_ @sourcebookskids #NetGalley #storytelling #storygraph @librarythingofficial #legends #nahuas #childrensbookillustration #kidlit #culturalexploration @childrensbookcouncil #botany #bookbub #BooksForKids #ChildrensBooks #oraltraditions #multicultural #historicalperspective #cuetlaxochitl #family #love #tradition #mexicanheritage #newpicturebook #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk @indiebookstoresca #medicinal #flordenochebuena #poinsettia

Who knew someone needed the story of the poinsettia but here it is in picture book format explaining the origins and cultivation of this flower over time from the places in Mexico to the front door of the White House now not only in the red that made it famous but white and pink too.

The deep colors immerse you and the repetition of the discovery and multiple stories keeps a reader turning the pages-- it won't surprise you that there are several other names for it yet somehow the white guy discovery name stuck. I didn't realize the religious connection to it being used in holiday decorations and they spent a few pages focused on how sets of news and talk shows use them, putting them in the limelight as a holiday flower too. Super fascinating with loads of information.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I loved this picture book and all I learned from it about the poinsettia flower. There is so much history and so many stories associated with this flower I learned a lot more then I ever have before.

While this book gives the reader a good history of the poinsettia flower, I don’t know that it would appeal to children. The writing is a little bit dull, and I think younger children would lose interest. The illustrations however, are beautiful and captivating!
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Jabberwocky and Netgalley for the digital arc.
This has the perfect theme for the holidays, the illustrations pop with color, and the scientific informattion was interesting . Unfortunately the historical aspects of the poinsettia noted briefly in the text seemed out of place and did not make sense until I read the back matter, which was wonderful.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of The Giving Flower by Alda P. Dobbs.
The Giving Flower is a picture book that teaches the history of the poinsettia plant. With vibrant illustrations and text in verse, this book engages readers while providing information. This is a book that will be great for teachers and for library programs as well as children looking to learn something new.

A gorgeously drawn book highlighting the history of the poinsettia starting with its roots in ancient Aztec and Mexican culture. It weaves a story of intercultural connection, language, Mexican and American culture, botany, religion, and history to form an interesting and captivating story. By creating a connection with a popular Christmas plant and ingeniously incorporating historical facts such as heavier topics like colonialism, historical global figures, and Mexican and U.S. history, this book provides a window to experiences that can be relatable and interesting to children. The images of the poinsettias are memorable and can pique further interest and study into various topics like botany, history, cultural information.

This beautifully illustrated book told the tale of the poinsettia and how it came to be known as the Christmas flower. This would be a great book to add to my holiday basket.

Such a sweet book that teaches us information on the Poinsettia. The illustrations really hook you into the story. When you need a Christmas book that is less about Santa and more about different ways of giving, this book is amazing.

This picture book is so gorgeous and well-written! I loved it, and it's a great Christmas/holiday non-fiction. I loved the repetition of "wait and see," and how it traces Mexican and American history through the history of the poinsettia. Really well done, and I think this would serve a wide variety of library collections.

Wonderfully done history of the poinsettia flower and the various cultural traditions associated with it. The illustrations were nice.

This is such a beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the story of the poinsettia flower and its significance in Mexican culture. I never knew anything about its history and happy to have learned it from such a magical book. The book not only explores the history of the poinsettia but also intertwines it with holiday traditions, making it a great seasonal read as well. The illustrations are colorful and lively and I felt like they complemented the text beautifully.

This book is a great way to introduce kids to cultural stories and the beauty of nature. It would be great for any setting like a home library, classrooms, etc. I think it would also make a wonderful gift as well.

A fun look at the history and myths surrounding the flower that has become synonymous with Christmas. I learned a lot in this picture book that would make an interesting read aloud.

The poinsettia flower is generally associated with the winter holidays, especially as it brings a bright, rich hue to an otherwise colorless landscape. Interestingly, the poinsettia flower is known by many names, and it has a rich history spanning back hundreds of years. From early Mexican cultures, to the time of European settlers, to the present day, the poinsettia has become a visual landmark of the winter holidays in cultures around the world. This accessible narrative nonfiction picture book is engaging for a wide range of ages. While the text itself is relatively brief and utilizes a predictable structure, the depth of information included within the narrative is profound, offering young readers and their caregivers a rich amount of detail through very few words. At the end of the book, a succinct historical narrative is included, which provides older readers with a more detailed description of the timeline described within the book itself. Additionally, a timeline anchors some of the pivotal moments in the poinsettia’s existence for readers who appreciate a visual interpretation of history. Throughout the book, illustrations depict the scenes described by the text using rich, saturated colors, transporting readers back to specific moments in time. These images feature the poinsettia throughout, and readers will enjoy identifying the poinsettia plants on each page. Rich with history and cultural relevance, this narrative nonfiction picture book is a beautiful addition to winter holiday collections for young readers and their families.