Flowers Are Pretty Weird!

In Flowers are Pretty Weird!, a friendly bee lets the readers in on weird facts about the flowers that, as a bee, they hang out with every single day. The bee emphasizes the vast variety of flowers, their different smells, sizes and tastes and promises a journey through them all. First, the bee leads readers through the different appearances of some very weird flowers, showing a monkey orchid, ghost flower and pelican flower to name a few. Next, the bee shows readers that, while some flowers are very tasty and can be used in cooking, some are very dangerous and poisonous when eaten (so “don’t eat any flower without asking a grown-up first”). The bee provides an easy explanation of pollen and shares how some flowers open their petals to invite insects (bees included) inside (like Oxeye Daisies), while others are significantly less inviting (like Closed Bottle Gentians). The flowers’ blooming times, locations, smells, and sizes are also explored before the bee again appeals to readers, summarizing that, like flowers, you, the readers, are weird and pretty too. Several pages of back matter at the end of the book explore the flowers mentioned previously in more detail, including their scientific names and global locations.

Rosemary Mosco conveys a mischievous spirit throughout the book as the bee questions readers’ willingness to go along in each section, complimenting readers’ bravery and sweetness for sticking around at each juncture. By assigning the friendly bee as the book’s guide, Mosco keeps the subject matter fun and casual, as though a party host is introducing and describing their different friends to readers rather than relating a series of dry facts. By consistently checking in with readers and, at the end, relating flowers to the young readers, Mosco keeps children engaged and centered in the nonfiction subject matter.

Jacob Souva’s illustrations capture a playful scrapbook aesthetic, featuring some flower images as though they are photographs taped into a book and some as though they are videos or images captured on a screen (complete with progress bars at the bottom of the page that even young readers will recognize). With these depictions, along with the bold and inviting colour palette, Souva’s illustrations echo Mosco’s inclusive and interactive storytelling, encouraging child readers to feel that they are part of the story.

While some of the facts in Flowers are Pretty Weird! may be too complex for younger readers to understand, Mosco’s simple wordings and frequent bee check-ins keep the book grounded and engaging, particularly as an interactive lap read.