Clover: A Picture Book

by Nadine Robert, Qin Leng (Illustrator)

Overview

Clover is an inspiring picture book about decision-making and self-trust when you’re all alone, by critically acclaimed creators Nadine Robert and Qin Leng.

Around Clover’s family’s goat farm, there are plenty of things to do, from picking blueberries to collecting clams. But making decisions, even choosing something to do, is a great source of hesitation for young Clover—that is until one day, the child’s beloved goat, Peony, wanders too far from the farm. In order to bring Peony back home safely, Clover will have to learn to act quickly and decisively.

Winner of the Canadian 2022 Governor’s General’s Literary Award for the French Language edition.

“Lush, finely detailed ink and watercolor artwork forms the basis of this gently suspenseful story . . . A quirky and quiet pastoral tale that offers instruction to young children on independence and decision-making.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Robert captures Clover’s indecision and appeals to the forest’s natural presences (‘Gentle Stream, I need your help’), using each event to illuminate moments of deliberation in which direction and self-assurance flower.” —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781990252143
Publisher:	Milky Way Picture Books
Publication date:	09/13/2022
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.65(d)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Nadine Robert is a Canadian author and publisher. She began her career as a video game designer and director of animated films. Her first picture book, "Joseph Fipps" (Enchanted Lion) received a STARRED review from Publishers Weekly. Cofounder of publishing house Comme des geants, she has always had a strong passion for children’s illustrated books. She holds degrees in Education and Literature and she has translated a few picture books to French. She lives in Montreal Canada with her family.

Editorial Reviews

"Clover develops different strategies for making choices and builds self-confidence in the process. While the book has a decidedly European flair, Clover’s anxiety will speak to many young readers and serve SEL collections."

Booklist

Robert captures Clover’s indecision and appeals to the forest’s natural presences (“Gentle Stream, I need your help”), using each event to illuminate moments of deliberation in which direction and self-assurance flower.

Publishers Weekly

"Lush, finely detailed ink and watercolor artwork forms the basis of this gently suspenseful story . . . A quirky and quiet pastoral tale that offers instruction to young children on independence and decision-making."

Kirkus

"Lush, finely detailed ink and watercolor artwork forms the basis of this gently suspenseful story . . . A quirky and quiet pastoral tale that offers instruction to young children on independence and decision-making."—Kirkus

“Robert captures Clover’s indecision and appeals to the forest’s natural presences (“Gentle Stream, I need your help”), using each event to illuminate moments of deliberation in which direction and self-assurance flower.”—Publishers Weekly

"Clover develops different strategies for making choices and builds self-confidence in the process. While the book has a decidedly European flair, Clover’s anxiety will speak to many young readers and serve SEL collections."—Booklist

From the Publisher

2022-05-25
An indecisive child finds their way.

Clover, who lives on a farm, has dark hair and pale skin and, like their many brothers and sisters, wears overalls and a stocking cap. As usual, Clover can’t figure out what to do—will it be mushroom picking or mussel collecting? At last, the appealing protagonist follows their family to a nearby river, where they see a young goat that has wandered from the farm into the woods. Clover follows the goat to bring it home; unsure of which path to take, the child asks a tree, a stream, and the wind for advice but receives no answers. Lush, finely detailed ink and watercolor artwork forms the basis of this gently suspenseful story. While Clover searches for the goat, their siblings search for her, the somewhat treacly lesson being that “listening when our heart speaks will always lead us where we need to go.” It’s difficult to tell whether the odd formality of this French import comes from the original text or the translation, though it does work with the illustrations to conjure up a dreamlike, bygone era with hints of the magic of the natural world. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A quirky and quiet pastoral tale that offers instruction to young children on independence and decision-making. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews