Synopses & Reviews
Raymonds mother is in the hospital, and he wants to give her a good gift when she gets home. He notices a young womans pleasure at getting flowers, and thinks this might be the ideal present. Since he doesnt have enough money to buy flowers, Raymond decides to grow them from seeds. But with the flowers starting to wilt, and his mother not yet home, he fears she will never see his gift after all. What happens is more perfect than anything Raymond could have planned in this sensitive story of a Chinese American childs love for his mother.
Synopsis
One day Raymond sees a young woman smile with pleasure when she is given a gift of flowers. Maybe I could buy Mom some flowers, Raymond thinks, to help her feel better now that she is home from the hospital.
When Raymond realizes he doesn't have enough money to buy flowers, he decides to grow them from seeds, but his mother has to return to the hospital before the flowers bloom. As the flowers grow and then begin to wilt, Raymond fears his mother will never see his present after all. The gift she receives instead is a total surprise, and more perfect than anything Raymond has planned.
Winner of LEE & LOW'S New Voices Honor Award, Raymond's Perfect Present captures the innocence of a child's love for his mother as he struggles through a difficult time. This heart-warming story reaches out to all readers who have sought to give those they love the "perfect present."