“Too Early for Flowers” is a touching story about Iris Sipolski, a war widow and mother of two boys, Grayson (Gray) and Jimmy. Early in his life, Gray contracted polio and wears a leg brace. The novella skillfully portrays Iris‘s struggle to provide a good life for her sons in her hometown during the aftermath of WWII. She is determined that Gray and Jimmy have good lives, and she works hard to create a positive atmosphere for them despite many obstacles.
The book is well-written, and I was immediately drawn into the family’s story. The characters are fleshed out beautifully, and I found myself rooting for all of them. While she helps Gray with his painful leg exercises, Iris paints vivid word pictures of adventures the boy will have someday. Since the book is based on a true story, readers get to find out what really happened to Gray, which is gratifying. The book’s protagonist prays and attends religious services, but doesn’t seem to find comfort in faith. Iris understandably struggles to find peace as tragedies befall her family, and her search could provide an interesting “jumping off” point for conversations. At the end of the novella, there is a moral conflict which some readers may use as a point of discussion.
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