Published: March 28, 2023
Series: Companion to The Leaf Thief
Author: Alice Hemming
Illustrator: Nicola Slater
Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Nature, Storytime, Humor, Birds, Fiction, Juvenile, Kids
Audience (Grade Levels): Elementary school level
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Goodreads Link: Don’t touch that flower
Triggers: N/A
Review By: Megan Powell
Publisher’s Summary:
Perfect for fans of Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms, the spring-themed companion to the New York Times bestseller The Leaf Thief! “Hello brand new day. Hello sunshine! Hello lovely leaves. Nice to see you back.” Spring is here and today a flower has sprung to life. But when Squirrel becomes too protective of it, Bird shows Squirrel the right way to let flowers blossom and grow. Pick up Don’t Touch That Flower if you are looking for: A classic read for ages 4 and up Picture books that are ideal for your classroom, homeschool curriculum, and more! Seasonal and educational stories about the changing seasons
A fantastically fun springtime picture book from the creators of The Leaf Thief. Squirrel is so excited. It’s spring and the most perfect flower has started to blossom—and Squirrel has decided the flower is HIS. After what happened to the leaves in autumn (THEY ALL DISAPPEARED), Squirrel’s not taking any chances. . . He MUST keep the flower safe, and he needs his best friend Bird to help him! But perhaps Squirrel wants to protect the flower a little too much. . . After all, even flowers want a little space sometimes. Join Squirrel and Bird as they discover and explore the wonderful nature of spring . . . and learn a few things along the way. A laugh-out-loud book about the changing seasons, with extra information in the back for especially curious minds. Perfect as a companion reader to children learning about seasons in school. A brilliant picture book that explores feelings, moods and times where we feel out of control.
Review:
Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater deliver a delightfully humorous and educational seasonal tale in Don’t touch that flower, making it a stellar acquisition for primary grade collections and elementary school libraries. Serving as a companion piece to their popular bestseller The Leaf Thief, this narrative marks the arrival of spring through the manic, well-meaning antics of its animal characters. The plot reunites readers with Squirrel, who is overjoyed by the return of warm weather and the sudden appearance of a single, beautiful flower. Traumatized by the disappearance of his beloved autumn leaves, Squirrel becomes fiercely overprotective of this new blossom, declaring ownership and attempting to shield it from the elements. It falls to his level-headed best friend, Bird, to guide him toward understanding how nature actually operates, ultimately teaching him that living things require freedom and space to properly grow.
This is a cute simple read. This book is about appreciating nature and how different parts of the ‘nature society’ take place in the environment. This book gives a very good example on how to be grateful for nature’s beauty. In this book it talks about how important it is to allow everyone to appreciate nature. This would be a good book to read during spring time because it’s about a beautiful flower that the Squirrel wants to own. When they wake up there is a field of them and all of the animals are excited. This is a simple book that I would recommend to a 2nd grade class or lower.
The author’s writing style is perfectly tuned for early childhood audiences, keeping the text brief, punchy, and incredibly funny, which makes it ideal for group read-aloud sessions. Nicola Slater’s expressive, bright illustrations beautifully enhance the humor, perfectly capturing Squirrel’s frantic anxieties and Bird’s dry exasperation. The cover design is instantly eye-catching and effectively signals the playful, energetic tone inside, ensuring young students will readily grab it off display racks. I rate this book 5 stars for its successful blend of science and emotional literacy. It is a highly recommended tool for early childhood educators and elementary school librarians looking to add engaging, curriculum-aligned literature to their spring collections.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Science / Social Studies: Connects seamlessly to elementary science units on changing seasons, life cycles of plants, botany, and exploring local habitats or environments.
- ELA / SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): Serves as an excellent text for identifying character emotions and themes of mindfulness, handling anxiety when things feel out of control, understanding personal boundaries, and sharing common spaces.
- Extension Activity / Library Application: This book is perfectly designed for a kindergarten through second-grade library storytime, an interactive classroom read-aloud, or an independent reading program block. As an extension activity, teachers can lead students outdoors for a “Nature Observation Walk” to find signs of springtime growth, followed by a classroom activity where students plant seeds in small cups to track growth, practicing giving their plant the “space and care” it needs just like Bird taught Squirrel.
- Diversity & Representation: While a lighthearted animal fable, the book models inclusive social values by depicting a “nature society” where multiple distinct species learn to share communal spaces, cooperate, respect boundaries, and collectively celebrate environmental resources.
Readalikes:
- Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson
- The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade
- Creepy Pair of Underwear! by Aaron Reynolds
