The Judgmental Flower

Introduce the topics of cultural diversity and racial prejudice to students in grades K through 6 and help children develop emotional intelligence skills in learning to accept and value differences in others.

For Blue, the flower patch has always been the same—and Blue likes it that way. Purples hang with other Purples. Blues hang with Blues. Talls hang with Talls. Shorts hang with Shorts. But when a Purple grows up beside him, Blue keeps his distance and tells Purple that he doesn’t belong in the Blue Patch. "I don't like Purple!" Blue complains to his mom. When she asks why, Blue replies, "Because he's different." Fortunately, Blue's mom is around to point out what Blue has in common with Purple, and how much Blue and his friends can learn from the wind, the rain, and the bees, who treat all flowers the same. She teaches him that when it comes to flower petals, there is no right or wrong—only different, and that different is beautiful, “like the notes you hear in a song.” What’s more, Blue’s mom goes on to tells him that the world would be a very boring place to live if all the flowers were just like him, and that growing in the right direction means celebrating what makes every flower unique.

Will Blue open his heart and start to see things from a different lens? Find out in award-winning author Julia Cook's timely and important tale teaching the skill of appreciating diversity and valuing the differences in others. Children will love how the lyrical writing pairs beautifully with Anita DuFalla’s highly imaginative and colorful illustrations.

The Judgmental Flower is the eighth installment of the Building Relationships series which supports social competence. Tips for parents and educators are located at the end of the story to encourage understanding and greater acceptance of differences.