Gem

Do you remember Colorforms? I thought those clingy vinyl pieces were so amazing. The ones I remember most were Holly Hobbie, and I was jealous of some friend who had a Holly Hobbie bedspread (mine was flowered). I loved her watercolor artwork and bought many Hallmark cards just to have the images. Many years later (1998), she published the first Toot & Puddle book, delighting readers. We have every one of them in our home library.

Yesterday I got Holly Hobbie's latest book, Gem, via inter-library loan. Except for a letter to a granddaughter at the start and a letter to the grandmother at the end, it is a wordless book, telling the story of a toad who escaped various perils to dwell in the grandmother's garden. Green hues dominate most pages, making it feel like a springy book. The double-page spread of dandelions and baby toads surrounding Gem is my favorite. It would inspire a collective "Ohh!" from readers.