The Blue Roses

Summary: This book is about a little girl growing a garden with her grandpa. She wants blue roses but he tells her there are none. When he dies, the family is very sad until they see blue roses at his grave.
Opinion: This book is really sweet. I like the positive views surrounding death that are held by many Native American people. The book is great for a grieving kid or just somebody who wants to learn more about the culture.

This is a heartwarming, but sad tale about a young girl and her grandfather. Together they plant seeds that grow into flowers and vegetables. After her grandfather dies, Rosalie sees blue roses in her dreams. I would recommend this book the children ages 7 and up.

I love the language of this book. 'Yellow squash and orange pumpkins huddled in mounds like sister sharing secrets.' 'Our house stretched like a huge rubber band around relatives and neighbors.'

The illustrations are rather simplistic.

The book used the blue roses planting, and the way of planting from papa to the girl showed that the love from family, from papa would company with the little girl, even thought papa was pasted away.

Girl- Coming of Age Story
Her grandfather is Native AMerican and they garden together. He teaches her about wrinkles, death, life lessons. He dies and she continues to love him and remember him through the blue roses and her garden.

grandpa lives with child and mom and is a gardener. child also helps with garden and gains advice and counsel from grandpa. when grandpa dies child remembes his words. focus on hurt and comforting each other - mom/child

Every spring Rosalie and her grandfather plant tiny seeds under her bedroom window. There are many symbols and traditions that her and her grandfather hold until he dies.
Traditions, cultures, death

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