A dandelion metaphor marks a young Cambodian girl’s gradual adjustment after coming from a refugee camp to live in the United States. In winter, she and her mother “put down roots in unfamiliar soil.” Over the course of the coming seasons the girl blossoms; friendships blossom, too. “Like a dandelion, I am strong and giving, planted happily in the soil that I now call home,” she says by story’s end, as the illustrations show her befriending another newcomer. The simplicity of the text, with a single sentence on each page spread, the age of the young narrator and her friends, and the marvelous digital artwork, make this a story accessible for younger children and English Language Leaners. A brief author’s note discusses the value of dandelions in many cultures. (Ages 3-7)

Like a Dandelion is a poetic tribute to the bravery of immigrants and refugees, inspired by the author's childhood experience of moving to the United States from Cambodia.

Like feathery seeds, a young girl and her mother take flight, putting down roots in an adopted country. Soon they blossom in their new home, strong and beautiful among hundreds of others just like them.

Huy Voun Lee's text is gentle and lyrical, making for an excellent storytime or bedtime read. The story is based on Huy's own childhood experience of moving to the US as a Cambodian refugee.

Text and art work together to beautifully illustrate the passing of the seasons, and the dandelion's growth from seed to shoot to blossom is a sunny, poignant metaphor for the resilience of immigrants and refugees.

Includes backmatter information on the history and uses of dandelions.