Review by Booklist Review
In this French Canadian import, Clover is the youngest of several brothers and sisters, all of whom live on a small farm in the woods and wear matching knit hats, overalls, and red boots. Their cottage, animals, and pastoral surroundings seem idyllic in the enchanting Old World, soft watercolor scenes. But when one sibling suggests picking blueberries and another suggests finding mussels at the river, Clover becomes anxious about making the right decision. With guidance from the oldest brother, "the little one" learns that there aren't always wrong choices. In linked episodes, Clover has to make more anxious choices about whether to find a lost goat, which path to take in the woods, and what to do with a fallen baby bird. Along the way, the child consults a tree, a stream, and the wind for advice. When none offer any response, Clover develops different strategies for making choices and builds self-confidence in the process. While the book has a decidedly European flair, Clover's anxiety will speak to many young readers and serve SEL collections.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Harvest mushrooms, pick blueberries, or hunt for mussels in the river? Clover, a pink-skinned child in overalls and a gnome-like cap, can't decide which group of siblings to follow. "You'll be fine either way," another child says. "Just listen to your inner voice." Ink and watercolor spreads by Leng (A Day for Sandcastles) imagine the idyllic farm where Clover lives with nearly as many goats as identically clad siblings. Clover chooses the stream for its frogs' "joyous singing," then discovers that Peony the goat has followed. Tuning into their inner voice while heading deeper into the wood, Clover works slowly and thoughtfully through a series of dilemmas ("I should find my way back to the river.../ ...but I can't leave Peony alone"), the halting path through the trees mirroring an interior journey. Leng conveys the forest's majesty, and the centering landscape it provides, by contrasting its great river and trees with Clover's tiny form. Robert (On the Other Side of the Forest) captures Clover's indecision and appeals to the forest's natural presences ("Gentle Stream, I need your help"), using each event to illuminate moments of deliberation in which direction and self-assurance flower. Ages 5--9. (Sept.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
"I simply can't decide what I want to do." Standing frozen on the doorstep, young Clover struggles to choose -- should she go mushroom picking? Or to the river to look for mussels? There are so many things to do around her family's goat farm. Reminded by her brother that there are no wrong answers, Clover opts to go to the river, where she sees her goat, Peony, disappearing into the forest. To find Peony, Clover journeys alone into the forest, making important decisions along the way. Keep going or turn back? Go left or right? She asks a tree, a stream, and the wind, but they don't offer any advice. Still, Clover finds strength and learns to act quickly and decisively in the process. Leng's engaging ink and watercolor illustrations add an inviting visual narrative. This story about decision-making and self-trust is also an homage to nature and its power -- sometimes wild and scary, at other times soothing, calming, and inspiring. Weileen Wang November/December 2022 p.70(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An indecisive child finds their way. Clover, who lives on a farm, has dark hair and pale skin and, like their many brothers and sisters, wears overalls and a stocking cap. As usual, Clover can't figure out what to do--will it be mushroom picking or mussel collecting? At last, the appealing protagonist follows their family to a nearby river, where they see a young goat that has wandered from the farm into the woods. Clover follows the goat to bring it home; unsure of which path to take, the child asks a tree, a stream, and the wind for advice but receives no answers. Lush, finely detailed ink and watercolor artwork forms the basis of this gently suspenseful story. While Clover searches for the goat, their siblings search for her, the somewhat treacly lesson being that "listening when our heart speaks will always lead us where we need to go." It's difficult to tell whether the odd formality of this French import comes from the original text or the translation, though it does work with the illustrations to conjure up a dreamlike, bygone era with hints of the magic of the natural world. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A quirky and quiet pastoral tale that offers instruction to young children on independence and decision-making. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
