Flowers for Mama

A quartet of gray kitties endeavor to find “something beautiful to celebrate beautiful Mama” in this lively process-oriented story. After an initial round of brainstorming led by young feline Oleander, the kittens decide to make flowers, and Freedman’s mixed-media artwork creatively showcases the cats’ unique, personality-driven approaches. One feline, splattered in pink paint, draws and stamps blooms. Another, depicted surrounded by tangles of string, uses “saved-up bits and scraps” to create an explosion of yellow flora. From a third, pictured with a pencil in paw, “melody, rhythm, and words emerged and bloomed as a song.” Meanwhile, Oleander carefully fills a can with soil, water, and seeds, anxiously awaiting the organic result. When Mama’s special day arrives and the tin remains flowerless, maternal comforting helps ensure a special celebration. Multidimensional art expansively showcases myriad ways to say “I love you.” Ages 3–7. (Mar.)