Nora's Roses by Satomi Ichikawa

This book is fanciful, sweet, and involves roses. For the longest time, I didn't think I liked it, not sure why. It was one of those library book sale books that are bought en masse that I don't carefully look through for years. Recently I looked through it again and---love! 

First of all, I love the name Nora. If I had had my way, our second daughter would have been a Nora.  I lost that discussion, but I got to put it as her middle name. Which is all to the good as it turns out since she is completely and totally a Lillian/Lily. Still love the name though, so I am always prejudiced in favor of little dark haired girls named Nora. 

This poor Nora is stuck in bed with a cold. 

What could be more boring than this? thought Nora.

After a little wallowing, Teddy was so bored he opened the curtains to discover a rose blooming just outside the window. 

Nora's toys are no ordinary toys. 

After that, they are not as bored because they watch everyone stop to smell the roses. 

Her friends stop by. 

The violinist stops to smell the roses, as does the carpenter and his daughter.

Her other friends come by, but they leave again. Nora starts to feel a little lonely again.

She falls asleep and starts to dream...

The roses grew feet and came to visit.

I find this dream entirely charming. Roses playing violins and cellos.....

She wakes as the neighbor's cow comes to eat the roses. 

Seems an uncomfortable thing to eat. 

After Buttercup was done, there was only one rose left. 

Nora wanted to keep that last rose. But how? The various ways of preserving roses run through her mind, but none of them are quite right. 

And then she knows what to do. 

She draws a picture to keep forever.