The Souls of Flowers: the Loveliest Flowers in Our Meadows and Gardens by Pavlína Kourková and Klára Mandausová, illustrated by Pavlína Kourková and translated by Andrew Oakland. Albatros Media, 2024. 9788000071008
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
Format: Hardcover
What did you like about the book? So many words come to mind after reading this book—stunning, breathtaking, wonderful…This book is not only about these beautiful flowers, it’s also about the artist herself.
Along with the astonishing artwork, we learn about legends, myths, stories, and botany for each flower. Even though most of these flowers are of European or Asian origin, they will be familiar to American readers. Each flower has a section entitled “Through the painter’s eye” about how and why she chose these flowers.
Not only is this a big, beautiful book full of life-like paintings, but it also contains information about each plant and their families, for example, lilacs are from the olive family and hyacinths are related to asparagus. A must-have for gardeners and flower lovers alike.
Anything you didn’t like about it? No
Who should buy this book? Public libraries will surely want to add this lovely book to their shelves. High schools that offer botany will also want to add this book to their collections.
Where would you shelve it? 581
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Absolutely l!
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Maria Touet, Malden Catholic High School, Malden MA
Date of review: April 22, 2024
Youth Services Book Review 
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