Gr 4–7— Poppy and her canine companion discover nature in a powerful statement on slowing down and opening up. Poppy's mother has been struggling with the death of Gran—her mother and Poppy's grandmother. Befriended by Rob who is a nature-lover, Poppy and her pup spend time each day uncovering the restorative power of the outdoors, which eventually also helps Poppy's mother on her road to recovery after she relents to Poppy's request to get outside. A story of relationships and connection, there are person-to-person and person-to-nature explorations that deepen the meaning of the story, no matter how readers engage with the book. The sparse dialogue is enhanced by the well-paced panel progression throughout, which gives space for understanding how animals and nature are transforming Poppy. Without cluttering the pages, Kurimoto intentionally chooses to allow readers to engage with the story at their own pace alongside the characters. In fact, there are plenty of pages without any dialogue or narration at all, permitting readers' eyes to languidly peruse. Flora, fauna, and an occasional busted vehicle behind a gate can be found and savored within each frame. The overall effect is a quiet graphic novel with a muted palette and a loud message. VERDICT This meditative experience is a necessary addition for celebrating the outdoors and providing another avenue for SEL for all ages.— Alicia Abdul

Kurimoto's compelling debut graphic novel begins as a preteen girl chases her dog from a walk on an urban street through a dilapidated gate into an unknown natural world, where a mysterious boy beguiles and befriends them both. Intrigued, Poppy returns again and again to join her new friend, Rob, in a reverent shared stillness, observing myriad minute and wondrous details in this verdant space. In grief herself and finding solace in nature's wild beauty, Poppy experiences an awakening that ultimately inspires her to share it with her despondent mother, to reinvigorate her with the joy Poppy's grandmother found in the natural world. Kurimoto's deliberate pacing, as patient as the gradual opening of a single bud, invites readers to linger with each panel to take in the exquisite details of each natural detail, sensitively rendered in delicate line work washed with muted grays and blacks. This gentle, poignant story will remind readers that simply being present with nature can offer a path toward healing and an appreciation of what it is to be alive.

Encounters with the natural world help a girl and her mother grieve.With Mum inert with grief over Gran's death, Poppy passes the time taking her dog, Pepper, for walks. Unlike Poppy, who stares obliviously at her phone, the lively dog is distracted by the sights of the world around him. When Pepper suddenly chases after a fox, Poppy frantically runs after him, ending up in a forest clearing, where she encounters a boy named Rob, whose affinity with nature intrigues her. She returns again and again to the forest, where, with Rob's guidance, she learns to be still and observant, recognizing deer tracks and understanding the calls of wrens. She even starts noticing the beauty of pockets of nature in town. As Poppy experiences more of the wild (and less of her phone), she longs to show Mum the world she's discovering. Soft, sepia-toned images executed in ballpoint pen, ink paint, and Photoshop convey the shadowy feel of the forest, inviting readers to envision its quiet. The clean, regular panels, most of them wordless, often present series of scenes that unfold like the frames of a film, asking readers to closely observe details alongside Poppy and Rob. Emotional complexities are soothingly resolved, and readers will be drawn in by the appealing characters, touching narrative, and satisfying ending. Poppy and her mother are cued British Asian; Rob reads white.A gentle, poignant tale of awakening to the subtle, healing wonders of the wild. (author's note) (Graphic fiction. 9-12)