'A beautifully scripted, illustrated, and uplifting picture book.' —Midwest Book Review
'This book is hands down one of my top five, favorite children's books of 2018... This book is full of hope and just a wonderful story. The illustrations are stunning! This is definitely a book that I want to keep in our home library. 5 stars.' —Mischenko, Goodreads Reviewer
'In this complex and mature tale of reawakening, pages boast dark, richly detailed illustrations aglow with deftly conjured light.' —Booklist Online
'Widmark's melancholy story about loneliness gains atmosphere and, ultimately, lift from Dziubak's beautiful illustrations, hand-drawn using colored pencils. Children will pore over the details and delight as Niles banishes murky darkness with light... Lovely.' —Kirkus Reviews
'An absolutely fantastic book, which truly left me speechless. It is a book that talks about loss, about finding hope, and of new beginnings, with extraordinary illustrations and a simple, yet very profound text. It is the kind of book that captures every reader, young and old, and definitely one of a kind.' —Our World of Wonder
'Emilia Dziubak's illustrations contrast the gloom and doom of the old man's sorrowful and lacking life in his rundown house with the life and comfort that just one flower and one little boy can bring. The old man's despair is common in life and the story of his renewal is told and illustrated with compassion and hope.' —Vermont Country Sampler
'Hand-drawn illustrations done in colored pencils are rendered in gloomy drab colors until the plant sprouts – then the light comes in. Niles washes windows, mops and cleans; his life has been transformed. The illustrations are dreamy, reminding me of Rembrandt, each one a work of art... Perfect.' —Youth Services Book Review
'This was such a sweet book... The book has gorgeous illustrations throughout and it is mostly a picture book that follows the old man in his home. The detail is AMAZING and I loved spending time on each page to look through all the details. The story made me tear up a little at the end, it was very uplifting and a wonderful read. I think both parents and kids will really enjoy reading this one together.' —Cover2cover Blog
'The change in Niles is striking. He sees life with one perspective – colorless. When forced to entertain a pot of dirt with a seed, his perspective changes to include light, cleanliness, neighbors, books, happy memories, and even the return of his long-lost cat. This change is from one single outlook to an openness to a life of color.' —World of Words
2018-06-25
A surprise visitor brightens up the life of the solitary man who lives in the old dark house. Elderly Niles has creaky bones and failing eyesight. No wonder he lives in a dim, creaky house. All his children have grown up and moved away. His wife, Sara, has died but comes to him in dreams of red poppies and fresh, open fields. At night, he roams the rooms of the darkened house, haunted by memories. One night, he sees a young boy standing just outside, holding a flowerpot. The boy explains that he lives next door and is going on holiday; can Niles tend his flower while he's away? By the time Niles answers, the boy has gone. He's left holding the pot, which holds no flower, only dirt. The next morning, a tiny fragile leaf is peeping out from the dirt. Niles decides it's time to freshen the house, opening windows to the warm, fragrant air. Niles' long-lost cat, Johan Sebastian, appears and, after a day of cleaning, curls up at his feet. The next day, the little boy returns and takes Niles outside into the beautiful garden. Widmark's melancholy story about loneliness gains atmosphere and, ultimately, lift from Dziubak's beautiful illustrations, hand-drawn using colored pencils. Children will pore over the details and delight as Niles banishes murky darkness with light. Niles, his family, and the boy all present white in this Swedish import by way of Scotland.Lovely. (Picture book. 5-8)
