What a wonderful book to end this year! If there was ever a time when we craved a book about resilience and joy, this is it. One of the hardest things about the pandemic has been coaching our children through the continual roller coaster of emotions as we move forward into an increasingly unknown future. Bloom by Kelly Campbell is simple, beautiful, and delivers a much needed message of hope! As an added layer, Bloom’s imagery speaks directly to the strength and courage of our very important military families, and makes an amazing gift!

The story begins with a little dandelion seed, Bloom, who’s terrified of being released from her father and sisters into the wide world outside. Despite her fears, her father encourages her that she was made for this, and that she need only “lean into the unknown.” She expresses her anxiety about losing what she loves – “I don’t want to leave.” Her father listens empathetically, but tells her that she can do this. 

Though we can all relate to the dandelion imagery, there’s a special message behind the author’s choice of this particular flower. Military children are often referred to as “dandelions,” since they can put down roots almost anywhere. They are impossible to destroy, and they adapt easily. Military children bloom everywhere the wind carries them and they stand ready to fly into breezes to take them into new adventures, new lands, and new friends. The author that wrote this book is actually a military spouse and wrote the book with this in mind. For military families, this imagery is especially powerful and encouraging! 

As the story continues, most of Bloom’s fears do come true – she is blown by the fickle wind into a city, bustling with people and covered in concrete. It’s nothing like the farm where she grew up. She doesn’t see the big fields she’s used to. Nothing is normal. Even young children will see the connection to life during COVID-19 – nothing has stayed the same, and there are no guarantees of the future. And yet, Bloom is able to see beauty in the strange new landscape. She realizes that she CAN do this, and even grows to love her new home. 

Using words like “resilience” and “grit” can feel alien to young kids, but as they learn the story of Bloom and her journey, they will connect to the warm, colorful illustrations and feel the themes strongly. As Bloom’s father tells her the sooner she can flow with the changes, the sooner she will enjoy the ride. It’s the perfect conversation starter that will provide a common language as we move into our unknown together.