Tashi’s grandfather Popola is very ill in Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure by Naomi C. Rose (Lee and Low, 2011), but after reflecting on her grandfather’s stories of the traditional Tibetan healing power of being out in a garden, Tashi decides to help him get well by surrounding him with flowers, even in the American world they live in. She takes him to a flower store, where week after week, the flower shoppers greet him and wish him well. Tashi’s thoughtful reflection on Popola’s non-American heritage bring him out into the community, and he begins to get well.
Will the Tibetan Flower Cure work for all aging and ill grandparents? Certainly not, but Tashi’s story may inspire youngster to remember family heritage as they consider the older generations and their needs. I liked learning about Tibetan medicine in the author’s note in the end.
