School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-In this lovely, circular story set in 19th-century Vienna, Oskar searches for the perfect gift for his mother, armed with a single coin. Each time he acquires a gift, starting with a perfect yellow rose, he meets someone who convinces him to trade it for something else. Finally, the day is over, and he is back where he started. In the concluding paragraph, Lodding states that most of the people Oskar meets are important figures from Viennese history-Gustav Klimt, Felix Salten, Johann Strauss II, and Empress Sisi-and that this is Vienna's story as well as Oskar's. The narrative is well written and satisfying to read aloud. Jay's crackle-glazed paintings are as dreamily beautiful as ever, masterfully composed, and full of interesting details. Unfortunately, in this case, the soft surrealism of her landscapes works against her revelation that the story is meant to be firmly rooted in the city's history. While the text and illustrations are wonderful in their own right, it is a shame that the historical connections really only exist in the author's note. Whether or not an opportunity was lost, this is a lovely and successful book about optimism, giving, and love. Purchase without hesitation.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The beauty and rich culture of historic Vienna course through this sweet, circular story from Lodding (The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister), in which a boy strives to procure the perfect birthday present for his mother. Armed with a single coin, Oskar quickly finds his purchase-a yellow rose-in the middle of the street market. But before he can bring the lovely gift home, an artist asks Oskar if he'll trade the flower for a paintbrush ("I can paint a picture for Mama," says an amenable Oskar, "the perfect present!"). So begins a folktale-flavored chain of exchanges that eventually leaves poor Oskar empty-handed. Luckily, one of his kind deeds is rewarded just in time, bringing the story full circle. Colorful storefronts, elegant carriages, and a stately opera house depicted in Jay's (The Cloud Spinner) earthy palette and crackle varnish help evoke an earlier century. Her stylized forms-along with spirited background appearances by a cat, fox, and runaway dog-underscore the vibrancy of city life. An author's note about Vienna's role in inspiring the book is included. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: The Organisation. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
It's morning in Vienna when Oskar begins seeking the perfect birthday gift for Mama. And there it is: a yellow rose. But Oskar trades the gift for another, then another, and on. Eventually, through an act of kindness, he's empty-handed...until the act is repaid. Lodding's full-circle story is as charming as the quaint, cobblestone-street setting, pictured brilliantly in Jay's glowing crackle-varnish paintings. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
The search for the perfect present is a tried-and-true storybook conceit, and it is given an enchanting twist in Lodding's tale, as readers journey through old Vienna along with Oskar, meeting the artists, musicians, writers, and royalty who made the fin de siecle era unique. It all starts with the perfect present for Mama's birthday: a yellow rose that young Oskar is persuaded to trade for a paintbrush. More trades follow, each seemingly more interesting until finally Oskar seems to wind up empty-handed after handing a forlorn girl his final treasure, a box of candied violets given to him by the empress herself. But wait truly what goes around comes around when the little girl hands him the rose she was wearing in her hair. Jay's illustrations feature the warmly aged, crackled surface of an ancient painting and the kindly ovoid bodies that have become her trademark. As an introduction to a special time and place, Lodding's unique offering will prove a treat for sensitive, imaginative readers.--Cruze, Karen Copyright 2014 Booklist
