Dandelions

This heart-warming picture book explores the bond between a father and his daughter. One day, a little girl notices her father mowing the lawn — in the process destroying her favourite flowers: the dandelions. She rushes out to stop him, but she’s too late, they’re all gone. There’s nothing for it: she’s just going to have to sit outside and wait until they grow back! But fortunately, Dad has another idea. Taking her hand, he leads her to the front step, and there, nestled in a crack in the concrete, are two tiny dandelion puff balls. Father and daughter each blow as hard as they can, and the tiny dandelion parachutes spiral and spin, up, up and away, spreading their seeds to create new generations of dandelions far and wide. And together, father and daughter lie down on the grass, watching as the whirl and twirl through the air. Exquisite watercolour illustrations combine with lyrical text to create a story that’s perfect for readers aged 4–8. This is a book that will be cherished by families and recommended by teachers and librarians, exploring as it does the resilience of nature, the art of forgiveness, and the love between a parent and child.


Katrina McKelvey is an author, former primary school teacher, and mother of two. She is the president of the CBCA Newcastle sub-branch, and on the committee for the Newcastle Writers’ Festival. Dandelions is Katrina’s first picture book.


Kirrili Lonergan is a children’s book illustrator and former paediatric nurse, whose illustrations display a profound understanding of the needs of children. She can be found enjoying good times with her husband and four children in Newcastle, Australia.