The Boy Who Grew Flowers
by Jen Wojtowicz (Author) Steve Adams (Illustrator)
Rink is a very unusual boy who grows beautiful flowers all over his body whenever the moon is full. Rink and his family are treated as outcasts even though no one knows his strange botanical secret. But one day a new girl arrives at school, and Rink discovers she has some unique qualities of her own.
Inspired by the experiences of her brother, who is on the autism spectrum, Jen Wojtowicz's heartwarming tale encourages children to empathize with and reach out to others.
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School Library Journal
Gr 1-3-Everyone in Rink Bowagon's family is a little different. His uncle trains rattlesnakes and his siblings and cousins are all shape-shifters. The boy has a special quirkiness all his own. On nights when there is a full moon, he sprouts beautiful, perfect, fragrant flowers from his body. At school, he is quiet and shy, and the other children keep their distance from him. One day, Angelina joins his class and all of the students vie for her attention. She has her own gift and recognizes what a special boy Rink really is. Together, their story is one that celebrates individuality and self-acceptance. The illustrations are done in acrylics on board and the way the texture of the wood shows through gives the lovely paintings a folksy quality. The luminous scenes and soulful relationship between Rink and Angelina make this story a joy to read.
Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Publishers Weekly
Children who struggle to fit in at school will find a hero in the star of this debut children's book. Rink Bowagon has an unusual quirk: his body sprouts flowers at the first sign of a full moon. "Shy and quiet and different," Rink is shunned by the other kids, who are afraid too of his oddball family, which includes rattlesnake tamers and shape-shifters. One day a new girl appears at school. With her "easy manner [and] luminous smile," Angelina Quiz fits right in, even though her right leg is shorter than her left. Rick finds her "forthright and honest, yet always kind," and Angelina is intrigued too ("She marveled at how his absence could take the shine off such a pretty, sunny day"). A friendship blossoms when Rink makes Angelina a pair of special snakeskin shoes that allow her to dance. Adams's incandescent illustrations, painted on textured boards in deep blues and green integrate flowers and full moons scattered across the pages, and the characters' faces look almost beatific. The story's latter half focuses on the growing connection between Rink and Angelina. If the narrative doesn't follow through on its early promise of helping young readers understand the beauty of being different, it will remind them of the power of kindness. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2005 Publisher’s Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Jen Wojtowicz is an artist who also happens to write. She currently teaches artists who also happen to have disabilities. She says, "I have observed that when people are kind and accepting toward each other, it alleviates a lot of needless suffering." Jen lives in upstate New York with her son Marcel and their seven-year-old shih tzu, Michie.
Steve Adams is an award-winning illustrator. After finishing his studies of graphic design in 1994, he traveled to Europe for an advanced training course in design. Upon his return, Steve began collaborating with various publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and American Lawyer. Since 1999 Steve has shared his passion of illustration and graphic design by teaching at a college in Montreal, Canada, where he lives.
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Schools
Self-acceptance
Flowers
Shoes
