Born in France in 1912, Francis Meilland grew up on a farm where his parents and grandparents grew vegetables and fruit to sell at the local market and roses to ship throughout Europe. As a child, he loved roses, and as he grew older, he cross-pollinated different varieties in hopes of creating a uniquely beautiful flower. Rose growers from distant countries visited the farm in 1939 and were struck by the sight of one exquisite variety. When WWII began, Meilland shipped cuttings of that plant to his visitors, including Robert Pyle, who sold it in America, patented it for its inventor, and named it the Peace Rose. In the appended notes, Roberts mentions that profits from that plant enabled the postwar rebuilding of the Meilland family's rose business. The story, featuring a lifelong dream realized despite discouragement and setbacks, unfolds at steady pace. Precise and detailed, Ibatoulline's captivating watercolor paintings help readers imagine the historical settings, while portraying people as individuals and the rose as an exceptional flower. A lovely picture book on an unusual topic.

The story of an intrepid rosarian who cultivated not only a new variety of rose, but also a glimmer of hope when the world needed it most. Born in 1912, Francis Meilland grew up on his family's farm in southern France, where they grew fruits, vegetables, and roses. After becoming fascinated with cross-pollination, he began experimenting to create a new rose of his very own. He tried for many years and finally grew "an enormous rose--five inches across in full bloom--with petals that shaded from pale ivory at the center through creamy yellow to a fringe of deep pink at their outer edges." Tragically, the world was thrust into World War II soon after. Meilland rushed to send clippings of the new rose to growers. The rose thrived and was given many different names around the globe, none more apt than Peace, the name given to the flower by U.S. grower Robert Pyle. Exquisite watercolors by Ibatoulline starkly contrast sun-drenched rose gardens with smudged, fragile battlefields, highlighting the many strands woven into the flower's journey. The narrative adeptly adds botanical information (with more facts appended in an afterword), making for a compelling combination of history and science. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Poignant storytelling that absolutely blooms. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 3--5--On a small farm in the south of France, a beautiful collection of roses bloomed beside fruits and vegetables, all of which were carefully tended by the Meilland family in the early 1900s. Francis Meilland was born in 1912, and he was as passionate about roses as his father and grandfather before him. So, when he observed another gardener's cross-pollinated beauty, Meilland was inspired to try crafting his own unique rose. Patience and tenacity led him to his goal, but as war broke out in Europe, Meilland was left wondering what would happen to his precious creation. This narrative nonfiction picture book tells a lesser-known story about one man's involvement in World War II through beautifully crafted text and illustrations. The story itself unfolds in accessible phrasing that uses such elements as font sizes to punctuate aspects of the narrative. Words are artfully placed within and around the images to ensure that each piece has its own space while working in tandem to tell the story. Most striking of all are the illustrations; using watercolors, Ibatoulline has created tangible images of Meilland's life, and readers of all ages will be in awe of the realistic appearance of each one. At the end of the book is additional information to supplement the text and provide further context. VERDICT This is a stunning and provocative addition to biography collections for elementary school-age children.--Mary R. Lanni

In this informative, botanically leaning picture book, Roberts and Ibatoulline chronicle the efforts of French gardener Francis Meilland (1912--1958) to create "a new thing of beauty to give to the world," describing how WWII almost derailed his efforts. With realistic watercolors depicting an idyllic life on the Meilland family's farm in southern France, the story initially covers the rose grower's meticulous work cross-pollinating flower varieties. When at last he succeeds in creating something unique--a bloom characterized by ivory and yellow petals tipped in pink--he sends cuttings to colleagues globally just as war breaks out, and communication disruptions mean he must wait to learn how the new rose fares. Upon war's end, when Meilland receives news confirming the rose has thrived in America and been named "Peace," it's an uplifting conclusion to an otherwise straightforward biography of a botanist at work amid war. An afterword, glossary, and bibliography conclude. Ages 6--9. (May)