The Strawflower: A Treasure Chest Story

The plant with pink strawflowers grew in a garden and outlasted all the other varieties. When winter comes, a bouquet of strawflowers decorates a snowlady; a woman takes them for her table centerpiece, then throws them out; another girl transports one strawflower to a fluteplayer, who sells it to an admiring soul; finally, Anna's dog retrieves it, and it becomes a Christmas decoration on her tree. She puts it in her treasure box along with seashells, pebbles and a starfish. This short history of the pink flower that retains its usefulness into the middle of winter is illustrated with delicate watercolor pictures of the unusual chain of events. Another Treasure Chest story, The Starfish, shows how that item came to be in Anna's box. Ages 5-9. (August)