TINY WONDERS

A young girl’s search for a dandelion revives an entire community.

April looks out her window. The world is gray, and everyone seems “too busy to laugh or look up at the sky.” April recalls her grandmother’s favorite flower, a dandelion, which symbolizes happiness. Could a dandelion seed help lift people’s spirits? The simple, evenly paced, uplifting narrative follows April as she asks a gardener, a bus driver, and a shopkeeper their opinions on the flower, only to receive mostly indifferent responses: “Dandelions are a weed!” “They make me sneeze!” “I haven’t seen a dandelion in years…But when I was little, we used to wish on them.” April wishes for a dandelion seed and is delighted when several float to her doorstep. She carefully plants them one rainy day. As they grow, joy spreads, enveloping the community in an oversized garden of blossoms. As more dandelion seeds float along, people wish “for more tiny wonders to grow.” Early on, the yellow light from April’s room and her bright red attire offer a stark contrast to the gray-hued town, rendered with simple lines and highlights of red. Later, warm swirls of color blend together to create engaging seasonal backdrops to the endearing cartoons. April is light-skinned and dark-haired; her community is diverse.

Full of hope, warmth, and charm, a reminder that it’s the little things that matter.