  | Alfred blooms Author: Kruck, Carrie | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Alfred strives to grow a garden like his neighbor Lulu, but as his attempts go from bad to worse, he discovers that flowers and friendship can bloom in the most surprising ways.
| Illustrator: | Mok, Carmen |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (-) (01/15/25)
Booklist (03/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2025 Alfred lives at one end of the street, Lulu at the other. Lulu’s yard is full of life, with plants and friends in abundance, while Alfred’s muddy surroundings are less inviting. He tries to beautify his space but accidentally plants wildflowers all over himself. When he literally starts to bloom, the gouache, colored-pencil, and graphite illustrations humorously depict flowers sprouting from his hair and nose. Lulu welcomes and helps him, underscoring that it was Alfred who needed to accept himself all along rather than that others were rejecting him. The setting is fanciful, with Alfred’s house shaped like mushrooms, but the feelings are realistic. Alfred is searching for beauty, kindness, and friendship. Lulu’s warm environment is a reflection of her personal capacity. No family members are depicted, but the interpretation could be made that Alfred’s circumstances are different from Lulu’s based on the size of the houses and the state of the yards. Readers will empathize with Alfred’s plight in this multilayered story and cheer him on as he grows from floundering to flourishing. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
