8.6 /10 1 Votes
Language English Publication date September 16, 1991 Followed by 'Owen' Genre Picture book | 4.3/5 Goodreads Series Mouse Books ISBN 0-688-09699-9 Originally published 16 September 1991 Illustrator Kevin Henkes Publisher HarperCollins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by 'Julius, the Baby of the World' Similar Kevin Henkes books, Picture books, Friendship books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chrysanthemum is the title of a 1991 children's picture book by the American writer and illustrator Kevin Henkes.
Contents
Chrysanthemum was chosen as an ALA Notable Book and the School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and it is on the Horn Book Fanfare Honor List. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." It was one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.
Summary
The plot deals with a young mouse named Chrysanthemum, who loves her long name until a girl named Victoria and her friends, Rita and Jo, tease her about it. However, a pregnant music teacher (named Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle) defends her, saying how a lot of people have long names. Chrysanthemum's family comforts her as well. At the end of the story, Mrs. Twinkle gives birth to a girl and decides to name her Chrysanthemum, too. The End.
Adaptions
In 1998 Weston Woods developed an animated story based on the book's illustrations, which was narrated by Meryl Streep. In 2002 it was produced by Newvideo and Scholastic and bundled with 5 other animated stories on a "Scholastic Storybook Treasures" DVD.