Watch Me Bloom

Patel-Sage frequently links the varietals to themes such as confidence, growth, and strength. In “Borage,” “Planted side-by-side,/ garden stars make perfect friends,/ helping others grow.” Hollyhock’s “showy faces, look outward,/ proud and confident.” Other plant descriptions incorporate intergenerational references: azaleas come “from granny’s childhood” and fuchsia is “Grandpa’s pride and joy.” Appropriately sunny illustrations feature figures of varying abilities, creeds, and skin tones making daisy chains with a caregiver, greeting neighbors, and playing outdoors in a work that’s likely to inspire many garden daydreams.

* Publishers Weekly *

5 stars beautiful illustrations are a celebration of flowers through Haiku poetry and diverse characters.

-- Julie Durmis * Youth Services Book Review *

NCTE Children's Poetry Award Notable Book "Aristotle’s observation that, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all,” surely inspires Patel-Sage’s Watch Me Bloom, in which 24 flowers pair with appropriate haiku. "Snowdrop" is a poem that observes, “Pushing up through snow,/ these delicate flowers are/ stronger than they look.” This haiku is strengthened by the author’s illustration of a young person in a wheelchair helping another young person build a snowman. The snowdrop flowers being more hearty than they look implies that the young person in the wheelchair is also hearty. “Foxglove” celebrates the flower with the poem “Little bee pockets,/ just right for hide and seek or/ games of peekaboo!” illustrations accent each scene, and “Floral Fun Facts” add completeness to the text. Teachers can build cross-curricular units, combining science, language arts, and more. The book blends haiku with crisp illustrations and interesting facts." - NCTE Excellence in Children’s Poetry Award Committee

-- NCTE Excellence in Children's Poetry Award Committee * School Library Journal *

STARRED REVIEW “This wonderful collection can be appreciated on so many levels and really repays careful study of every page so that all the subtle details of the diverse and inclusive illustrations can be appreciated. A collection that cannot help but inspire readers’ own creativity and mindfulness.” - LoveReading4Kids

* LoveReading4Kids *

“Along with being racially and culturally diverse, the smiling, wide-eyed cast includes a youngster using a prosthetic limb, an adult couple of ambiguous gender in a Christmas scene, and what appears to be a same-sex couple in a Hindu-style wedding. “Floral Fun Facts” about some of the selected flowers at the end add light doses of lore and natural science. A bright bouquet of poems, petals, and values.”- Kirkus Reviews

* Kirkus Reviews *

“A range of abilities, skin tones, faiths, and family structures are suggested by the digital artwork, and many of the poetic offerings reflect connections to cultural heritage or ancestral homelands. The book's overall effect encourages reflection and awareness of nature to benefit health.”- Booklist

* ALA Booklist *

"The vibrant collage-style illustrations are filled with beautiful bright blooms. From a superhero-loving girl with a hearing aid to a same-sex Asian wedding ceremony surrounded my marigolds, the poetry book features a diverse mix of children and families enjoying the wonderful plants." – BookTrust

* BookTrust *

"A beautifully illustrated series of haiku poems, celebrating twenty-four flower species growing close to home, from wildflower meadows to urban window boxes. The illustrations repay careful examination to see the subtle deeper meanings expressed in each poem." – UKLA Book Awards Also Loved List 2024

“It is a bright, bold, and sturdy book. It is positively bursting with energy and life. Simply stunning. A book to treasure.” - Armadillo

“I’m fascinated because a conscious effort was made to make sure that the flowers featured in this book were non-invasive species. I don’t really remember any other book making a strong point on the matter, but here every flower featured fits into the place that it is portrayed.” - School Library Journal