A newly conscious flower tries to find her purpose in the picture book Know When to Grow by T.B. Stacy.

Maisie, a flower, wakes with no knowledge of what surrounds her. She’s a curious, sympathetic character, asking existential questions like, “What was I put on this Earth to be doing?” and “[I]s this where I’m supposed to be?” She’s impatient to find her place in the world and meet others, but the wind tells her “there’s no need to rush.”

When she does meet other flowers, they greet her and quickly go on their way, which saddens Maisie. Stressed, she finds that her petals are falling out. The clouds try to comfort her, telling Maisie to “just let it be,” and finally while she’s resting with the sun for company, her petals grow back bigger, brighter, and taller, and the sun explains that the answers to her questions “make sense only after you’ve grown.”

The art excels at personifying Maisie, the sun, and the clouds. However, the text is problematic. Written in rhyming verse, the rhyme scheme sometimes hits its mark, other times fights an uneven rhythm. Further complicating the read is the text’s design, with no discernable stanzas. Instead, words and lines flow randomly, appearing in different sizes, sometimes even curved or shaped for effect. This feels chaotic and confusing.

The story’s message is also troublesome. Maisie’s petals grow back “while she was sad and wallowing in pout,” a far from ideal behavior model. Additionally, the author presents several themes: the need for friends and the importance of personal agency and purpose in life. This muddles the ultimate message (“the journey to wisdom takes patience,” as noted on the back cover), as does the conclusion (“Greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give”), a proclamation that doesn’t connect with the story.

Know When to Grow is a sweet idea but requires some revision with an eye to simplifying the design and message.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.