Footpath Flowers; Jon Arno Lawson, illustrated by Sydney Smith

There is a lot to be said about random acts of kindness and on a journey around the city a small child makes small gestures and makes the world a whole lot brighter.

In a very busy world it is easy to forget to notice the small things. As a father and daughter enjoy a typical walk through a grey cityscape, the father is distracted by the busy world around him with a mobile phone pressed to his ear. Whilst the city folk go about their day the girl notices the smaller things and after spotting some flowers by a lamppost she picks them up. Slowly she re-homes the flowers, gifting them to the environment, people and animals. Sometimes the gestures are noticed and other times people are oblivious to the girl’s kindness. Noticed or not, her small gestures see the appearance of the city begin to change.

This wordless picture book is stunning. The artwork from Sidney Smith is gorgeous and the creation of each scene is so utterly clever. The images take the reader on a clear journey around the city as each illustration clearly shows the location and allows the action to unfold seamlessly. From far away shots to close-ups, the vibrant use of red for the girl’s jacket set amongst the black and white city, the beautiful colours that emerge as the flowers are spread around the city. As the walk progress, black and white pages give way to brightly coloured scenes as the little girl places her flowers around the city bringing light, colour and happiness to the world.

Such a delightful book that captures the beauty of childhood and the importance of giving, and with a valuable lesson about taking the time to notice our environment and spotting the smaller things.

Recommended for 4+.