Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for providing an ARC for an honest review.

I remember seeing this book during the TLA(Texas Library Association) convention, but I wasn't able to get my hands on a physical copy.

Fast forward to now, having read the books, this is what I think. As an adult who loves history, I found this book to be good. Not great, but good. I approach these books through the lens of what a kid might say or feel, and they may find the content uninteresting due to the heavy load of history and the length of the reading experience. I'm not saying it is a bad book, but working with kids daily, I have seen firsthand that history is not their favorite subject unless it involves historical fiction.

I think that if the focus had shifted to Pepita and her story, the kids could have been more engaged while still learning about the history of "la flor de nochebuena".

The Giving Flower by Alda P. Dobbs is fascinating, beautiful, and educational. I learned so much about the poinsettia plant. The illustrations were beautiful and engaging. There is also a great timeline at the end of the book. I cannot wait to add this to my children's library. Highly recommend this book.

A wonderful and in-depth story covering the history and cultural significance of the flower we now call Poinsettia. The illustrations add depth to the story and could engage even the youngest of readers.
From honoring the origins of the poinsettias cultivation and appreciation by the Nahua people (Aztecs), to the time of colorized television, all the way to the U.S. Congress declaring December 12th as National Poinsettia Day in 2002.

Netgalley ARC - a story of the poinsettia plant that touches on history, culture, medicinal uses, and current symbolism. I like the idea of following the history of one plant.

The Giving Flower is a wonderful addition to school libraries! It uses storytelling to entertain, support social-emotional learning, and inspire positive behavior. It’s a great way to enrich students’ lives and help them grow!

I received an electronic ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Kids through NetGalley.
Mendoza's vividly colored illustrations enhance this story by Dobbs. They mesh together to share the history of the poinsettia at a level elementary readers will appreciate and understand. The informative text at the end offers further facts for readers to explore. Told in a relaxed story style. Definitely one to add to the holiday season.

I think that the central themes of this book are really great, but the overall book could have been a little more exciting. In other words, I was a little bored by this book. Maybe it's because I am personally not a history person. However, that being said, I don't think a whole lot of kids are history nerds, either. My recommendation? The story about Pepita and the poinsettia was really interesting, and it didn't seem like it got as much attention as it should have. Personally, I think that making this specific story a bigger and more central part of this book would add personality and entertainment value to the overall book. Despite this book being a bit dull, it had lots of good stuff in it! The writing definitely had a personalized voice/tone to it, and I found myself thinking, "Wow, this book is really well-written". Bravo for that! Lastly, the illustrations were absolutely beautiful! The illustrator effortlessly captured the beauty of the poinsettia on numerous pages, and this inspires readers to have a renewed appreciation for the flower.

This is the best that narrative nonfiction can offer-beautiful illustrations, seamless transitions from one event to the next, and varied back matter. All of these choices added to a fairly unknown topic that can help students understand the globally community is superb. Highly recommended!

This was so interesting! It's amazing to me how many different cultures have reacted to this flower throughout history, and how we have shared the poinsettia with each other. There was a lot of information but it's beautifully told and the illustrations are gorgeous.

This is a beautifully illustrated book that uses rich colors to evoke a historic, familiar feeling. The illustrator chooses to zoom in on a poinsettia when the author describes the true flower vs. the colorful leaves. The history of the poinsettia follows its discovery by indigenous people and the original name given (cuetlaxochitl) as well as the medicinal properties originally attributed to it. The author does a great job with the research of the poinsettia's journey through historic events, such as Mexico's Independence, as well as folk stories about its symbolism with the birth of Jesus.

I thought it was important to point out that the colonizers renamed the plant and it deserves to be called by its native name, but this was not really touched on. They did report that it was renamed after a European American man named Poinsett. For anyone who has read the civil rights book, Spell Freedom, the woman who taught at a freedom school was the progeny of an enslaved person in Poinsett's household and she still carried his last name.

For children, this story was told at just the right level of non-fiction information and comforting familiarity. It would make a great read-aloud at Christmas time or when studying Mexican history.