Max and the Dumb Flower Picture

The late Martha Alexander wrote over 70 children's books in her long career, many of them addressing issues which she felt were important to young ones. Before she passed away she shard her feelings about this book with author/illustrator James Rumford: "She believed that children need to feel the freedom of creativity - to look upon a blank sheet of paper and see possibilities, not limitations brought on by the fear "of not getting it right." That idea is made abundantly clear in the story of Max who didn't want to color what he called a dumb flower picture even though his teacher, Miss Tilley, wanted all of the students to color the same picture as a Mother's Day gift for their mothers. Well, as stated Max didn't like this idea at all because he knew his mother would rather have his own drawing, an original. Young readers will enjoy seeing how Max solves this problem. Endpapers in this book are especially attractive as they're filled with flower drawings by Martha Alexander's family, friends, and colleagues. - Gail Cooke