(Nonfiction, 2024)
By Olivia Dugenet
Through rich illustrations and fresh retellings of old myths and folktales, this new book by Alison Davies and Sarah Wildling adds drama and dimension to common flowers and herbs, most of which can be found growing around the Spokane region. Readers take a season-by-season tour through the strange and magical lives of rose, marjoram, daisy, clover, daffodil—43 brilliant blooms in all.
Yarrow, or Achillea millefolium in Latin, is named after mythical Greek hero Achilles. This hardy herb grows in our local pine forests in the late spring and summer, perfuming the air with spice. Achilles is said to have used yarrow to care for his wounded soldiers. We know local tribes have used it as a medicine for centuries.
Parsley, or Petroselinum crispum, is associated with 17th century Italian folklore that we recognize today as the Rapunzel story. The Dahlia’s extravagant beauty carries paradoxical stories rooted in Mexican folklore involving both creation and violence. The author fits each folktale into about two pages of fun-to-read lore. If my children were younger, we would read these stories before a walk, and then go searching for flowers through trails and neighborhoods. We might even try some special rituals included in the book.
After each story, the author recommends immersive action. Rosemary comes with a “Ritual to Bring Clarity and Vision,” for example, and with the sunflower comes a “Ritual to Boost Creativity and Joyful Energy.” The more interesting of these rituals involve recipes or planting instructions. Others feel a bit forced, as though the author ran out of ideas. Taken with a light heart, however, they are simply calls to action inviting readers to deeply consider each flower in its unique form and narrative history. Folks with children, or an inner child, or those who crave sensory communion with the natural world will enjoy this engaging and pretty book.
