About the Holiday

So, you’ve planted your seeds and seedlings and they’ve started coming up, but so is something else. Suddenly, it’s a race for ground space, water, and nutrition between the veggies, fruit, or flowers and a fast-moving intruder. How do you slow down the intruder or keep it at bay? That’s where today’s holiday comes in. National Weed Your Garden Day encourages people to set aside some time each day to weeding their gardens and give their crops the best environment to grow in.

Dandy

Written by Ame Dyckman | Illustrated by Charles Santoso

When Daddy Lion looked out the window and saw the little yellow flower of a dandelion nodding to him “on his perfect lawn. He ran for his clippers….” But when he got out there, his adorable daughter, Sweetie, was already there watering her “flower.” “‘Her name is Charlotte. She’s my best friend,’” the tyke said, gazing up at her daddy with her big, bright eyes.

Image copyright Charles Santoso, 2019, text copyright Ame Dyckman, 2019. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Daddy may have let it go, except for the neighbors who railed over the hedge that the weed would take over his yard, the neighborhood, and even the universe. The giraffe caught Daddy in a steely gaze and said, “‘You KNOW what you have to do.’” While his daughter read in the family room, Daddy snuck out with his shovel, and even though the dandelion gave him its most winning look, he raised the shovel high above it, readied for the forward swing, and… “‘Hi, Daddy!’” Sweetie was there reading to Charlotte.

Image copyright Charles Santoso, 2019, text copyright Ame Dyckman, 2019. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

During nap time, Daddy tiptoed out of Sweetie’s room and ran pell-mell with his mower toward the little weed. “But Sweetie was there” camped out with a tent and sleeping bags for her and Charlotte. When Sweetie was preoccupied with raiding the cookie jar for snack time, Daddy leashed up a hungry goat… but Sweetie beat him to it with a tea party, complete with cookies for her, Charlotte, and the goat.

Image copyright Charles Santoso, 2019, text copyright Ame Dyckman, 2019. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

“Once again, Daddy hoped his friends wouldn’t notice. They did.” They spurred him on to get rid of that dastardly dandelion, and Daddy tried everything from nunchucks to chemicals to a jackhammer and, finally, a cannon. But each time, Sweetie was there. Until, that is, she took the bus to her swimming lesson. Promising his daughter to “take care of Charlotte,” Daddy waved goodbye and rushed out to the yard with the neighbors cheering him on.

Image copyright Charles Santoso, 2019, text copyright Ame Dyckman, 2019. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

But there, propped up on Charlotte’s leaves, was a painting by Sweetie of Daddy standing next to Charlotte surrounded in hearts. When Daddy held it up, he and the neighbors shared a good cry. “(They were daddies, too.)” But just then, Daddy’s clippers slipped out of his hand. Daddy and the neighbors put Charlotte back together as best they could and “hoped Sweetie wouldn’t notice.” With tears in her eyes, though, she came to Daddy and pulled him outside to show him that something was “‘WRONG with Charlotte!’” And there, bent and broken but taped together, stood Charlotte, and where her bright yellow flower had been there was a cloud of white fluff.

Image copyright Charles Santoso, 2019, text copyright Ame Dyckman, 2019. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Daddy gazed out at the lawn and then down into Sweetie’s crumpled face and chose. He picked up Charlotte and blew, sending the fluff flying. And soon, Sweetie was introducing Daddy to “‘Charlotte Two! And Charlotte Three! And Charlotte Four! And…’” And Daddy thought they were all “DANDY.”

Image copyright Charles Santoso, 2019, text copyright Ame Dyckman, 2019. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Smart, sweet, and surprising, Dandy is a delight from beginning to end. The book’s cover, dotted with posing dandelions, hint at the endearing personalities that preserve these sunny weeds while the front endpapers depict perfect lawns where kids play and dads snip, clip, and dig up any interlopers. The back endpapers show a change of heart on the part of these dads following the story.

In between, Ame Dyckman’s pitch-perfect, laugh-out-loud series of events in which Sweetie is always there to protect her best friend, Charlotte, will charm kids and adults. Dyckman’s Sweetie lives up to her name with her invitation to tea, love-filled painting, and ever enthusiastic “Hi, Daddy!” greeting from Charlotte’s side. Clever wording introduces a plot twist that will melt the heart of even the most stalwart lawn lover, and the touching suspense leads to a tender moment between father and daughter.

Charles Santoso infuses every page of Dandy with humor that grows more and more hilarious as Daddy tries to placate the neighbors only to be bested by his adorable daughter who has enormous eyes, rosy cheeks, and even a heart-shaped nose. The action gets off to a fast start as Daddy Lion, his face plastered to the window in horror, is taunted by the waving dandelion. Clippers in hand, he’s caught up short by Sweetie’s introduction of her “best friend Charlotte,” a scene that only grows funnier as Daddy’s methods of destruction escalate.

The five neighbors—a modern day, suburban-dressed Greek chorus—keep up the pressure, but crumble in the end. As the dads surround the injured Charlotte, surgical masks in place and holding a variety of medical instruments, kids and adults will be thoroughly invested in Charlotte’s prognosis. The final illustration of Sweetie and Daddy happily watering their crop of Charlottes proves that love has the deepest roots.

Highly original, funny, and touching, Dandy is a must for home, classroom, and public libraries, and makes a perfect gift for dad on for Father’s Day or any day.

Ages 4 – 8

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2019 | ISBN 978-0316362955

Discover more about Ame Dyckman and her books on her website.

To learn more about Charles Santoso, his books, and his art, visit his website.

National Weed Your Garden Day Activity

Dandelion Garden Coloring Page

With their bright yellow petals and soft fluff, it’s easy to see why dandelions can be a child’s favorite flower, so here’s a little patch of dandelions that kids can keep inside! Just add some color and maybe a bit of cotton or polyfill  to bring this printable garden to life.

Dandelion Garden Coloring Page

You can find Dandy at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review