The language of flowers

Setting a formal but friendly tone, an unseen narrator begins with "Dear Reader," introducing a story inspired by the Victorian practice of floriography, the use of flowers to communicate unspoken feelings. Soft graphite illustrations conjure a fairy tale-like atmosphere. The flowers are rendered distinctly, with expressive facial features. The first of four pictorial chapters, Meadow, begins when a bird arrives in the isolated area with a gift for the flowers, a baby bee. Naming her Beatrice, the flowers enthusiastically take on the care and feeding of their small friend. Beatrice learns the Language of Flowers, the next chapter, by carrying messages from one to another, suggesting the way that bees collect and distribute nectar and pollen. As Beatrice and the number of flowers grow, she decides she needs help in the meadow. She undertakes a Journey to find more bees. The enormity of Beatrice's quest is emphasized by gatefold spreads showing her confrontation with the dangerous Venus Fly Traps that surround the beautiful meadow. Using charm and ingenuity, Beatrice receives safe passage. In the last section, Bumblebees, Beatrice joyfully finds other bees. Instead of forgetting her friends, however, she takes the bees back to the flowers of the meadow. A chart of flowers and their meanings is helpfully included, along with reference sources to learn more about floriography.