POPPY

Best friends can come in unusual shapes and sizes.

Poppy, a girl with pale skin and black pigtails, loves her panda umbrella. Umbrella accompanies Poppy on her daily adventures, no matter the weather…almost. One blustery day, Poppy loses her grip on the handle, and off Umbrella goes, up into the sky. Distraught, Poppy feels the cold wind on her face; worse than that, Umbrella’s absence leaves her feeling empty. The two of them have been together throughout Poppy’s life, poignant moments depicted in vignettes. Determined to find her friend, Poppy braves gusty winds and pelting rain, but she doesn’t see Umbrella anywhere. Sharp-eyed readers will find Umbrella hanging from a tree branch on one spread and blowing in the breeze on another. Poppy lies down in the rain-grown, bright red flower beds and ponders life without her best friend, wondering how her pal is doing, all alone. Soon a rainbow appears, and with it, a happy reunion for the two. Going forward, Poppy keeps a tight hold on Umbrella no matter what. Lee weaves themes of social-emotional growth and courage into this authentic portrayal of a child’s dark moment. Heartfelt prose goes hand in hand with vivid illustrations of Poppy’s odyssey. Full-page spreads evolve from steely grays to vibrant greens, and shifts in perspective, from up in the sky to deep underwater, enhance the sensory experience.

Certain to inspire conversations about emotions, friendship, and bravery.