Dandylion

‘Being different is special.’ A charming picture book about acceptance, diversity and belonging. When the ‘delightfully different, bright yellow and rather scruffy’ Dandylion joins Miss Gardener’s neat and tidy class, chaos and fun follow. But after one messy incident too many he’s told to go home – he just doesn’t fit in.

It doesn’t take long, however, for everyone to realise that too much neatness and order isn’t always a good thing and everyone’s desperate for Dandylion to return.  The children hatch a plan to get him back and Dandylion is delighted to be welcomed back, as ‘a wild flower growing in the right place!’

Dandylion is a wonderful book about being different, finding acceptance and making friends.  As much as we favour tidiness and order, the world would be a dull place if no-one ever challenged the predicatble ways of doing things. Creativity, spontaneity and free-spiritedness are just as important. 

The message is heartwarming and the gorgoeus illustrations bring the warmth and joy of Dandylion’s story alive. With Dandylion always pictured in vibrant yellow, and the rest of the class in more muted colours, the physical impact of his uniqueness is highlighted.  The perfect book to reassure children who feel they are ‘too much’ and ‘too different’ that there is a place and need for everyone. 

Meet the author and illustrator

Lizzie Finlay is a multi talented British author and illustrator. Dandylion won the Dundee Picture Book Award and was shortlisted for the NASEN Children’s Book Award. Her other work includes Chapatti Moon, A Tale of Two Wolves,  Sam’s First Day, Buri and the Marrow, The Ferocious Chocolate Wolf and the Pony Mad Princess Book series.