*Review* The Sunflowers Babushka Planted by Beatrice Rendn

 

Genre: Children's 8-12 years

Published: January 1, 2024

Pages: 32

When Tania was six years old, she and her parents fled Ukraine during World War II. For years they were refugees in Europe, displaced and without permanent residence. Finally, they found safe housing in a refugee camp, but what about home? Day by day, they stitched together new lives, but it wasn’t until a memory of Tania’s babushka and her beloved sunflowers that the family at last began to rebuild a sense of home.

This true account about debut author Beatrice Rendón’s grandmother offers a universal story of hope for refugees around the world.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a story about a girl and her family who are forced from their home by war. While the story itself doesn't specify World War II, that was the impression I got while reading (and it's born out by the book's synopsis). The girl really misses her babushka (grandmother) and her sunflowers, until one day her mother paints sunflowers on the windows of the refugee house they are living in. 

While I think giving the story a specific time in history might be nice, leaving it a little more ambiguous does allow the story to remain relevant since there are new war refugees every day. I think this is a good story to read with children who don't have any experience with war too though, because it can definitely help them to empathize with the plight of those in these horrible circumstances. 

The illustrations were kind of wispy and cloud-like, but colorful when applicable. Overall I give The Sunflowers Babushka Planted 4.8438 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Beatrice Rendón was born and raised in the Midwest. She grew up hearing her family's stories and how their resourcefulness and resilience helped them survive. She is a former classroom teacher and a lifelong lover of children's literature. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and their cat. This is her first book.

Originally from Poland, Olga Baumert studied fine art and jewelry-making before moving to the UK and earning a degree in graphic design and illustration from De Montfort University. Her art is inspired by great stories, interactions between people and nature, and open landscapes--especially ones with tiny figures hiding in them. Olga lives in Leicestershire, England, where she uses a mix of traditional techniques, including gouache, watercolor, acrylics, and colored pencils, to make her art.