The Chrysanthemum book is a children’s picture book written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes and first published by Greenwillow Books in 1991. It follows a young mouse named Chrysanthemum who loves her unusual name until classmates tease her after she starts school. Through the support of her family and an understanding music teacher, she learns to feel proud of her identity. The story is widely used to help children discuss bullying, kindness, self-esteem, individuality and acceptance.
Chrysanthemum Book by Kevin Henkes
Introduction: What Is the Chrysanthemum Book About?
The Chrysanthemum book by Kevin Henkes is a picture book for young children about a little mouse who learns to appreciate her name and accept what makes her different. First published in 1991 by Greenwillow Books, an imprint associated with HarperCollins, the book explores the emotional impact of teasing and the importance of helping children feel accepted.
The story begins with Chrysanthemum feeling happy about her name. Her parents love it, and she believes it is special and beautiful. However, when she starts school, some of her classmates make fun of her because her name is long and comes from a flower. Their comments make her feel embarrassed about something she once loved.
Things begin to change when Chrysanthemum meets her music teacher, Mrs. Twinkle, who has an unusual flower-inspired name of her own. This experience helps Chrysanthemum see her name differently and regain her confidence.
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The book remains useful for parents, preschool teachers, kindergarten educators and elementary school teachers because it opens a simple but meaningful conversation about how words affect other people. Its message is especially relevant when children are learning to make friends, adjust to a new classroom and understand differences between themselves and their classmates.
What Happened in the Chrysanthemum Book?
The story follows Chrysanthemum from a happy childhood at home to the difficult experience of being teased at school, and finally to a renewed sense of pride in her name.
1. Chrysanthemum Loves Her Name
At the beginning of the book, Chrysanthemum believes her name is perfect. Her parents make her feel loved and special, and she grows up appreciating the name they gave her.
Her name is unusual for a child in her classroom, but she does not initially see that as a problem. She associates it with affection, family and her own identity.
This opening establishes an important idea: a child’s feelings about their name can be closely connected to their sense of belonging and self-worth.
2. School Changes How She Feels
When Chrysanthemum begins school, she discovers that not everyone sees her name as something wonderful. Her classmates make unkind comments about its length and its connection to a flower.
Victoria, Rita and Jo are among the children who tease her. Their behavior causes Chrysanthemum to question something that previously made her happy.
The story illustrates how teasing can affect a child even when the comments might seem small to an adult. A name is personal, and repeated criticism can make a child feel that something is wrong with who they are.
3. Her Family Tries to Reassure Her
Chrysanthemum’s parents provide comfort when she feels unhappy about school. They remind her that her name is special and help her feel better after difficult experiences.
However, the story also shows that reassurance at home does not necessarily erase the emotional impact of what happens among classmates. Children need support from their families, but they also benefit from a classroom where adults actively encourage respect and kindness.
4. Mrs. Twinkle Helps Change the Situation
A turning point comes when the children meet their music teacher, Mrs. Twinkle. Her full name is Delphinium Twinkle, which is also unusual and connected to a flower.
This discovery changes how the children view Chrysanthemum’s name. The teacher’s example challenges the idea that an unusual name is something to laugh at.
The story concludes on a more positive note, as Chrysanthemum begins to feel proud of her name again. The change demonstrates how an adult’s response can influence classroom attitudes and help a child recover confidence.
Key Details About the Chrysanthemum Book
Chrysanthemum
Children’s picture book
Author and illustrator: Kevin Henkes
First published: 1991
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Length: 32 pages in the standard edition described by Google Books
Suggested age: Approximately 4–8 years, depending on the edition and reading context
Main themes: Self-esteem, bullying, identity, kindness and acceptance
Bibliographic information: Google Books, WorldCat and Reading Is Fundamental. Page counts and age recommendations can vary by edition or catalog.
The Chrysanthemum book is a fictional story rather than a true account of a particular child. Its familiar school setting and relatable emotional conflict make it suitable for read-aloud sessions and guided classroom discussions.
Background: Who Is Kevin Henkes?
Kevin Henkes is an American author and illustrator known for children’s picture books and fiction for young readers.
He wrote and illustrated Chrysanthemum, creating both its story and its visual world. His other well-known children’s books include Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Owen and Wemberly Worried. His work often explores everyday childhood experiences, including anxiety, friendship, independence and family relationships.
Henkes’s approach combines accessible language with expressive illustrations. In books for young children, pictures can communicate feelings that readers may not yet know how to describe. A character’s posture, facial expression or reaction can help children recognize emotions and understand why a situation is difficult.
In Chrysanthemum, the contrast between the mouse’s happiness at home and her distress at school helps readers understand the effect of teasing without requiring a lengthy explanation. This makes the book useful for children who are beginning to recognize emotions in themselves and others.
The book was recognized on several children’s literature lists. Henkes’s official website identifies it as an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book and a Horn Book Fanfare selection.
Main Characters in the Chrysanthemum Book
Understanding the characters helps children discuss the story and identify the different ways people respond to teasing.
She is the main character. At first, she loves her name, but her classmates’ comments make her feel self-conscious. Her journey shows how a child’s confidence can be affected by other people’s words and how encouragement can help rebuild it.
Chrysanthemum’s parents
Her parents provide affection and reassurance. They remind her that her name is valuable and help readers see the importance of a supportive home environment when children face social difficulties.
Victoria, Rita and Jo
These classmates tease Chrysanthemum about her name. Their behavior provides the central conflict and gives adults an opportunity to discuss why making fun of another person’s name can be hurtful.
Mrs. Twinkle
The music teacher, whose full name is Delphinium Twinkle, helps change the way the children view unusual names. She provides a positive example of how an adult can influence a classroom and support a child’s confidence.
These characters serve different purposes in the story. Chrysanthemum’s experience encourages empathy, her parents model emotional support, the classmates demonstrate the consequences of unkind behavior, and Mrs. Twinkle shows how a positive example can change the atmosphere.
The Main Themes of the Chrysanthemum Book
1. Self-Esteem and Confidence
One of the strongest themes is the importance of feeling comfortable with who you are. Chrysanthemum initially feels good about her name, but the repeated teasing makes her question it.
The story helps children understand that another person’s opinion does not automatically determine their worth. A name, appearance, interest or personal characteristic does not need to match everyone else’s expectations to be valuable.
Parents and teachers can use this theme to encourage children to identify qualities they appreciate about themselves.
2. Bullying and Teasing
The book presents teasing as a behavior with emotional consequences. Even when children describe their comments as jokes, those comments can hurt someone who is being singled out.
The story can help adults introduce age-appropriate discussions about the difference between playful interaction and repeated behavior that makes another person feel ashamed, excluded or frightened.
It can also encourage children who witness teasing to consider how they might respond safely, such as showing kindness, refusing to join in or asking a trusted adult for help.
3. Acceptance of Differences
Chrysanthemum’s name makes her stand out from her classmates. Her experience encourages readers to respect differences rather than treat them as reasons for ridicule.
This lesson can be especially useful in diverse classrooms, where children may have names from different languages, cultures or family traditions. Some children may find their names unfamiliar to others, but unfamiliarity is not a reason to mock them.
Teachers can reinforce this idea by helping students pronounce one another’s names correctly and by showing interest in their meanings when children want to share them.
4. Kindness and Empathy
The book encourages children to think about how another person feels. Instead of focusing only on whether a comment seems funny, readers can consider what happens when someone repeatedly hears that an important part of their identity is strange or undesirable.
Empathy can be developed through simple questions: How might Chrysanthemum feel? What could a classmate say to help? What would make the classroom more welcoming?
5. The Importance of Supportive Adults
Chrysanthemum’s parents provide reassurance, while Mrs. Twinkle changes the classroom situation through her own example.
Together, these characters show that children benefit from adults who listen, validate their feelings and respond constructively when unkind behavior occurs.
The story does not suggest that children should have to handle bullying alone. Instead, it gives parents and educators an opening to talk about seeking help and creating an environment where everyone is treated respectfully.
Why the Chrysanthemum Book Matters for Preschool and Kindergarten
The Chrysanthemum book is particularly useful during the early years of school because children are developing social skills and learning to interact with people outside their families.
Starting preschool or kindergarten can introduce new challenges. Children must adjust to classroom routines, form friendships, share attention and respond to unfamiliar situations. Some may feel confident immediately, while others need time and encouragement.
A story about a child who feels embarrassed at school can help young readers discuss these experiences at a comfortable distance. They can talk about a fictional character before sharing their own feelings.
For educators, the book offers opportunities to support several learning goals:
- Social-emotional learning: Identifying feelings and understanding the impact of words.
- Language development: Describing characters, explaining events and discussing emotions.
- Classroom community: Encouraging respectful behavior and helping students welcome new classmates.
- Self-awareness: Recognizing that individual names, interests and characteristics deserve respect.
- Listening comprehension: Recalling the story’s beginning, middle and ending.
The book should not be treated as a substitute for addressing actual bullying. If a child is repeatedly being targeted, adults need to respond to the behavior directly and provide appropriate support.
What Teachers and Educational Organizations Say
Kevin Henkes’s official book page highlights the story’s recognition in children’s literature and provides downloadable teaching materials. His author-study resources are intended to help educators explore his books through reading, art and writing.
The Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s description, reproduced by TeachingBooks, identifies Chrysanthemum as a picture story about teasing, self-esteem and acceptance, with a suggested audience of approximately ages 3–7. Reading Is Fundamental lists an age range of 4–8 and provides related read-aloud and vocabulary resources. These are educational recommendations, not a strict age limit.
HarperCollins also provides a teaching guide with discussion questions focused on names, bullying, classroom responses and how the characters change during the story.
These resources support using the book as a starting point for classroom conversation. They do not mean that every child will respond to the story in the same way. Teachers can adapt questions and activities to children’s language abilities, experiences and emotional needs.
Chrysanthemum Book Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten
Reading the story aloud is a useful first step. Follow-up activities can help children connect its themes to their own classroom experiences.
1. Create a Name Art Page
Invite each child to write, trace or decorate their name with crayons, stickers or paper shapes. Children who are not yet writing independently can work with an adult.
Ask: “What do you like about your name?” Make participation in sharing optional so that children can choose what they feel comfortable discussing.
2. Make a Flower of Kindness
Children can create paper flowers with one kind word written or drawn on each petal. Examples include helpful, friendly, patient and caring.
Use the activity to show that people have different qualities and that kindness helps everyone feel welcome.
3. Match Feelings to Story Events
Ask children how Chrysanthemum might feel at the beginning of the story, after the teasing and after meeting Mrs. Twinkle.
Children can select emotion cards or draw facial expressions. This helps them practice recognizing feelings and explaining what may cause them.
4. Practice Kind Words
Give children simple situations and invite them to suggest a respectful response. For example, what could you say if a classmate is laughed at because of their name?
Encourage phrases such as “That is their name,” “Let’s be kind,” and “Would you like to play with us?”
These activities are suggested extensions of the book’s themes, rather than claims that the author or publisher requires a particular lesson plan.
What Happens Next? How Parents Can Use the Story at Home
Parents can read Chrysanthemum with their children whenever they are preparing for a new school year, discussing friendship or addressing concerns about teasing.
After reading, allow the child to explain the story in their own words. Instead of immediately giving a lesson, ask open-ended questions and listen to the answers.
Useful questions include:
- Why did Chrysanthemum like her name at the beginning?
- What made her feel unhappy at school?
- How did her parents help her?
- What changed when she met Mrs. Twinkle?
- What could a classmate do if someone is being teased?
- How can we help people feel welcome when they are different from us?
If a child describes a real experience of bullying, listen calmly and take the concern seriously. Ask what happened, reassure the child that they deserve respect and work with the school when necessary.
The book’s most useful lesson is not simply that children should like their names. It is that adults and classmates share responsibility for creating an environment in which children can feel safe, respected and included.
As of October 2026, the sources reviewed for this article provide established bibliographic and educational information about Chrysanthemum. No specific new announcement about the book is necessary to explain its continued relevance as a children’s picture book.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Chrysanthemum Book
1. Who wrote the Chrysanthemum book?
The Chrysanthemum book was written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, an American children’s author and illustrator. It was first published by Greenwillow Books in 1991.
2. What is the main message of the Chrysanthemum book?
The main message is that children should feel proud of who they are and treat others with kindness. The story shows how teasing can damage self-esteem and how support and acceptance can help a child regain confidence.
3. What age group is the Chrysanthemum book suitable for?
The book is generally suitable for children ages 4–8, although younger children can enjoy it as a read-aloud with an adult. It can be used in preschool, kindergarten and early elementary classrooms.
4. Who are the main characters in the Chrysanthemum book?
The main characters include Chrysanthemum, her parents, her classmates Victoria, Rita and Jo, and her music teacher, Mrs. Twinkle, whose full name is Delphinium Twinkle.
5. Is the Chrysanthemum book about bullying?
Yes. Teasing about Chrysanthemum’s name is the central conflict. The story helps children understand the emotional impact of unkind words and encourages empathy, respect and acceptance.
6. What activities can teachers use with the Chrysanthemum book?
Teachers can organize name-decorating projects, flower crafts, emotion-matching games, kindness activities and discussions about respecting classmates. These activities help reinforce the story’s themes through creative and age-appropriate learning.
7. Is Chrysanthemum a true story?
No. It is a fictional children’s picture book. However, its situations reflect recognizable childhood experiences, including starting school, feeling different and responding to teasing.
8. Where can I find the Chrysanthemum book?
Readers can check public libraries, local bookstores, online booksellers and the publisher’s catalogue. The official Kevin Henkes website provides information about the book and related educational resources. Availability and prices vary by retailer and edition.
9. What does the Chrysanthemum book teach about names?
It teaches that names are an important part of personal identity and deserve respect. A name does not need to be familiar or easy for everyone to pronounce to be meaningful and valuable.
10. Does Kevin Henkes provide educational resources for Chrysanthemum?
Yes. His official website offers downloadable activities and author-study resources, and HarperCollins provides a teaching guide with discussion questions. These materials can help teachers and parents extend the story into classroom lessons and home reading.
