CONSIDER THE LILIES

A rainbow of wildflowers thrives.

In a pastoral scene, different types of flora attract insects and birds. From white Queen Anne’s lace and red poppies to pink primroses and black swallowtail butterflies, this field is awash in life. After highlighting various colors, Grant concludes by singing wildflowers’ praises; their beauty is striking if often fleeting, and they flourish despite the lack of human care. Indeed, they are “just where they / are supposed to be,” made specially by God—and, the author adds, “it’s the same with you / and me.” Though inspired by biblical verses, the text is general enough that readers might be able to find connections to major religions other than Christianity. On most pages, the color word is in a larger, brighter font, and the illustrations depict animals of similar or complementary shades. The first few pages read well, but the text loses anything resembling a meter about halfway through, and the rhyme scheme crumbles before the ending. In contrast, Swaney’s art is consistently elegant: simple and focused as flowers rise from the bottoms of pages, but also intentional and lovely, with layouts that invite prolonged contemplation. Any two-page spread could be hung in its own frame.

Classy color practice from the natural world, with divine consideration.