Chrysanthemum

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by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow Books
New York
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T. day she was born was the happiest day

in her parents'lives.
"Shei perfect," said her mother.
'Absolutely,'1 said her father.
And she was.
She was absolutely perfect.
"Her name must be everything she is," said her mother.
"Her name must be absolutely perfect," said her father.
( And it was.
chrysanthemum. Her parents named her chrysanthemum.
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Chrysanthemum grew and grew and grew.
And when she was old enough to appreciate it,
Chrysanthemum loved her name
She loved the way it sounded when her mother woke her up.
i She loved the way it sounded when her father called her for
dinner.
And she loved the way it sounded when she whispered it to
herself in the bathroom mirror.
Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum.
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Chrysanthemum loved the way her name looked when it was

written with ink on an envelope.
She loved the way it looked when it was written with icing
on her birthday cake.
And she loved the way it looked when she wrote it herself
with her fat orange crayon.
Chrysanthemum, Clrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum.
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Chrysanthemum thought her name was absolutely perfect.
(
And then she started school.
T1
AI On the first day, Chrysanthemum wore her sunniest dress

and her brightest smile. She ran allthe way.
"Hooray ! " said.Chrysanthemuth. "School ! "
giggled
But when Mrs. Chud took roll call, everyone
upon hearing Chrysanthemum's name'
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'olt's so long," said Jo.

( "[t scarcely fits on your name tug," said Rita, pointing'
"l'm named #ter my grandmother," said Victoria'
"You're named #ter afloulerl"
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AI Chrysanthemum wilted.
She did not think her name was absolutely perfect'
She thought it was absolutely dreadful.
I
The rest of the day was not much better.
During naptime Mctoria raised her hand and informed
Mrs. Chud that Chrysanthemum's name was spelled with
thirteen letters. :
"That's exactly half as many letters as there are in the entire

alphabet!" Victoria explained.
:'Thank you for sharing that with us, Mctoria," said
Mrs. Chud. "Now put your head down."
"lf I had a narne like yours, I'd change it," Mctoria said
( as the students lined up to go home.
I wish I could, thought Chrysantherium miserably.
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"'Welcome home!" said her mother.
"'Welcome home!" said her father.
"School is no place for me," said Chrysanthemdin. "My name
is too long. It scarcely fits on my name tag. And I'm named
after aflouter!"
"Oh, pish," said her mother. "Your name is beautiful."

'And precious and priceless and fascinating and winsome,"
said her father.
"lt's everything you are," said her mother.
'Absolutely perfect," said her father.
i
Chrysanthemum felt much better after her favorite dinner

(macaroni and cheese with ketchup) and an evening fllled
with hugs and kisses and Parcheesi.
That night Chrysanthemum dreamed that her nalne was Jane.
It was an extremely pleasant dream.
The next morning Chrysanthemum wore her most comfortable
( jumper. She walked to school as slowly as she could.
She dragged her feet in the dirt.
Chrysanthemum, Chrrysanthemum, Ch'rysanthemum, she wrote.
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"She even /oofts like a flower," said Victoria, as
e,\/s Chrysanthemum entered the playground.

"Leti pick her," said Rita, pointing.
"Leti smell h".," said Jo.
Chrysanthemum wilted.
She did not think her name was absolutely perfect.
r_
The rest of the day was not much better.

I During naptime Victoria raised her hand and said,
'A chrysanthemum is a flower. It lives in a garden with worms
and other dirty things."
"Thank you for sharing that with us, Victoria," said Mrs. Chud.
"Now put your head down."
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"l just cannot believe your name," Mctoria said as the students
lined up to go home.
Neither can I, thought Chrysanthemum miserably.
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"'Welcome home!" said her mother.

( "'Welcome home!" said her father.
"school is no place for me," said Chrysanthemum. "They said I
even looft like a flower. Th"y pretended to pick me and smell me."
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"Oh, pish," said her mother. "They're just jealous."

'And envious and begrudging and discontented and jaundiced,"
said her father.
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'l'Who wouldn't be jealous of a name like yours?" said her
mother.
'After all, it's absolutely perfect," said her father.
Chrysanthemum felt a trifle better after her favtlrite dessert
(chocolate cake with buttercream frosting) and another evening
filled with hugs and kisses and Parcheesi.
That night Chrysanthemum dreamed that she really ucs
a chrysanthemum.
She sprouted leaves and petals. Victoria picked her and
plucked the leaves and petals one by one untilthere was
nothing left but a scrawny stem.
It was the worst nightmare of Chrysanthemum's life.
Chrysanthemum wore her outfit with seven pockets the
next morning.
She loaded the pockets with her most prized possessions
and her good-luck charms.
Chrysanthemum took the longest route possible to school.
She stopped and stared at each and every flower.
"Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, "
the flowers seemed to say.
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That morning the students were introduced to Mrs.Jwinkle,

the music teacher.
Her voice was like something out of a dream, as was everything
else about her.
A The students were sPeechless.
They thought Mrs. Jwinkle was an indescribable wonder.
They wept out of their way to make a nice impression.
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Mrs.fwinkle led the students in scales.

Then she assigned roles for the class musicale.
Mctoria was chosen as the dainty Fairy Queen.
Rita was chosen as the spiffy Butterfly Princess.
Jo was chosen as the all-important Pixie-messenger.
And Chrysanthemum was chosen as a daisy.
"Chrysanthemum's a daisy! Chrysanthemum's a daisy!"
(
Jo, Rita, and Victoria chanted, thinking it was wildly funny.
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Ch'rysanthemum wilted.
She did not think her name was absolutely perfect.
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"'What's so humorous?" asked Mrs.Jwinkle.

"Chrysanthemum!" was the answer.
"Her name is so /ong," said Jo.
"lt Rita, pointing.
scarcely fits on her name tag," said
"l'm named after my grandmother," said Mctoria.
"She's named after aflouser!"
"Ma name is long," said Mrs.'lwinkle.
"lt is)" said Jo.
*Ma name would scarcely fit on a name tag," said Mrs.'lwinkle.
"lt uould)" said Rita, pointing.
"And--" said Mrs.Jwinkle, "l'mnamed after a flower, too!"
"You a.re?" said Mctoria.
"Yes," said Mrs.Jwinkle. "My name is Delphinium.
-Iwinkle.
Delphinium And if my baby is a girl, I'm considering
Chrysanthemum as a.name. I think it's absolutely perfect."
Chrrysanthemum could scarcely believe her ears.
She blushed.
She beamed.
She bloomed.
Chrysanthemum, ChLrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum.
Jo, Rita, and Victoria looked at Chrysanthemum longingly.
"Call me Marigold," said Jo.

"l'm Carnation," said Rita, pointing
"My name is Lily of the Valley," said Victoria.
clrrysanthemum did not thinfther name
was absolutely perfect.
She ftnera it!
EPILOGUE:
Overall, the class musicale was a huge success.
Chrysanthemum was absolutely perfect as a daisy.

Mctoria made the only mistake: She completely forgot her lines
as the dainty Fairy Queen.
Chrysanthemum thought it was wildly funny, and she giggled
throughout the entire Dance of the Flowers.
Eventually, Mrs.lwinkle gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

And, of course, she named her Chrysanthemum.
- - :

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rAL

T. day she was born was the happiest day

Chrysanthemum loved the way her name looked when it was

AI On the first day, Chrysanthemum wore her sunniest dress

'olt's so long," said Jo.

"That's exactly half as many letters as there are in the entire

"Oh, pish," said her mother. "Your name is beautiful."

Chrysanthemum felt much better after her favorite dinner

e,\/s Chrysanthemum entered the playground.

The rest of the day was not much better.

"'Welcome home!" said her mother.

t.,lt,. "' - !.t

"Oh, pish," said her mother. "They're just jealous."

That morning the students were introduced to Mrs.Jwinkle,

Mrs.fwinkle led the students in scales.

"'What's so humorous?" asked Mrs.Jwinkle.

"Call me Marigold," said Jo.

Chrysanthemum was absolutely perfect as a daisy.

Eventually, Mrs.lwinkle gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

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