A Flower Grows

This intriguing look at the growth of a flower will leave readers of all ages in awe of two forms of art: that produced by nature, and that found in Robbins's extraordinary hand-tinted photographs. ``Sometimes beauty comes from the most unexpected places,'' begins the lyrical text, which details the entire development process. An amaryllis bulb planted in a pot sends up a ``tiny shoot of tender green,'' the top of which has a rapidly growing bud. With the help of sunlight and ``gentle rain from the watering can,'' the plant grows and eventually blossoms. The ensuing six-page sequence depicting the unfurling of a single delicate blossom is ravishing. Robbins also explains what happens to the plant once it has flowered, and how the bulb is able to produce another flower after it has ``rested.'' This book is an eye-opening panorama of a simple but amazing natural process. All ages. (May)