Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Book
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter.
“Written” by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people and small gestures.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Book
A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year
In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter.
“Written” by award-winning poet JonArno Lawson and brought to life by illustrator Sydney Smith, Sidewalk Flowers is an ode to the importance of small things, small people and small gestures.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Mar 1, 2015 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 8.75 in x 8.75 in |
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Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Teacher's Guide Guide |
| Written By |
JONARNO LAWSON is the author of numerous books for children and adults, including The Playgrounds of Babel, illustrated by Piet Grobler, and Leap!, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. He has also collaborated on books with Nelson Ball, Alec Dempster, Nahid Kazemi, Amjad Jaimoukha, Qin Leng, Daniel Ratthei and Sherwin Tjia. His most recent book is Wise Up! Wise Down!, a collaboration with the poet John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura. JonArno lives in Toronto, Ontario, with his family. |
| Illustrated by |
SYDNEY SMITH is the creator of Do You Remember? (Boston–Globe Horn Book Award, Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook) and Small in the City (Kate Greenaway Medal, Ezra Jack Keats Award, Governor General’s Award). His award-winning books include Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson; Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz and I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott. He has won the Hans Christian Andersen Award and five NYT Best Illustrated Book of the Year citations. Sydney lives in Halifax, NS. |
| Written By |
|
JONARNO LAWSON is the author of numerous books for children and adults, including The Playgrounds of Babel, illustrated by Piet Grobler, and Leap!, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. He has also collaborated on books with Nelson Ball, Alec Dempster, Nahid Kazemi, Amjad Jaimoukha, Qin Leng, Daniel Ratthei and Sherwin Tjia. His most recent book is Wise Up! Wise Down!, a collaboration with the poet John Agard, illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura. JonArno lives in Toronto, Ontario, with his family. |
| Illustrated by |
|
SYDNEY SMITH is the creator of Do You Remember? (Boston–Globe Horn Book Award, Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook) and Small in the City (Kate Greenaway Medal, Ezra Jack Keats Award, Governor General’s Award). His award-winning books include Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson; Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz and I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott. He has won the Hans Christian Andersen Award and five NYT Best Illustrated Book of the Year citations. Sydney lives in Halifax, NS. |
| Audience | ages 4 to 7 / grades P to 2 |
| Common Core | CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 |
Winner, Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Illustrated Books, 2015
Commended, New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, 2015
Long-listed, Goodreads Choice Award for Best Picture Book, 2015
Commended, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2015
Commended, Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year, 2015
Commended, School Library Journal Best Books, 2015
Commended, Horn Book Fanfare, 2015
Commended, 49th Shelf Favourite Picture Books of the Year, 2015
“A poignant, wordless storyline . . . this ode to everyday beauty sings sweetly.” — Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
“A reminder that what looks like play can sometimes be a sacrament.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“An emotionally moving, visually delightful ode to the simple powers of observation and empathy. . . . A book to savor slowly and then revisit again and again.” — School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Sidewalk Flowers wraps readers in kindness, tenderness, generosity and wonder.” — Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW
“A quiet, graceful book about the perspective-changing wonder of humble, everyday pleasures.” — Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Affecting, efficient, moving, kind. Lawson’s done the impossible. He wrote poetry into a book without a single word, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.” — A Fuse #8 Production Blog
“I’d give this book to anyone with a coffee table, in a household with or without children.” — New York Times