The Slippers' Keeper

Gr 2–4—This exquisitely illustrated picture book describes the life of Joe Purdon, who devoted his life to the preservation of the showy lady's-slipper, an orchid native to North America. When he was 13, Purdon learned about the flowers from his teacher, who told her students how rare and delicate they were because of their inability to self-pollinate and because they require a precise balance of water and sunlight. Purdon came across more Showy Lady's-slippers growing in a wet, lowland area of his family's farm in Eastern Ontario. Believing them to be "'the prettiest thing this side of sunset," he began to study their life cycle, learning how to pollinate them and how much water and sunshine they needed to grow and protecting the colonies of pink flowers from hungry animals. The book ends with Purdon as an adult, still nurturing the now thousands of plants flourishing under his care. An epilogue and a note at the end of the book describe how the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority was established in 1982 to protect the colony. Dominated by shades of green, the illustrations are elegant. The text fictionalizes somewhat, relying heavily on dialogue. Slightly on the stiff side, the writing may not resonate with readers, but the images will keep them turning pages.