Daisy
(Book)

"Neal Porter Books"

Daisy's mother explains that, while her namesake flowers may look plain, they have great beauty if you look closely. Kids at school seize on Daisy's name, calling her "Thistle," and she withdraws, keeping her head down (literally) so as not to deal with her classmates, but in doing so, Daisy discovers discarded treasures on the forest floor, sees the beauty in their imperfections, and creates a secret hideout to store her finds. The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations lend a softness to the story and are filled with charming details, like the sumptuous double-page spread of Daisy's collection of tea pots and cups, lanterns, books, and a lost teddy bear. When someone starts leaving objects outside of Daisy's fort, she soon discovers Fern the skunk admiring her treasures, and the two become friends.