The following unabridged reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers. Reviews may be used for educational purposes consistent with the fair use doctrine in your jurisdiction, and may not be reproduced or repurposed without permission from the rights holders.

Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).

From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Chrysanthemum has always thought of her name as beautiful and perfect as she herself until her classmates laugh when they hear it during roll call on the first day of school. Mercilessly teased about it in school by Victoria, Rita and Jo, Chrysanthemum begins to hate her name, in spite of assurances from her parents. Strapped for life with an ugly, unwieldy name, her future looks bleak until the much-admired music teacher, Mrs. Twinkle, reveals that she herself is named Delphinium. Suddenly, Victoria, Rita and Jo are asking to be called Marigold, Carnation and Lily of the Valley. Crysanthemum grows and eventually blooms in a wry, perfectly paced picture story that's as much fun to read aloud as it is to listen to. (Ages 3-7)

CCBC Choices 1991 © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1991. Used with permission.

From AudioFile Magazine

With talented readers, original musical and realistic sound effects, Weston Woods Studios elevates the read-along to a new height. This studio production of a celebrated and award-winning children's favorite, packaged with a hardcover book, will enchant listeners and create new audiences. An ALA Notable Book and SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Best Book of the Year, CHRYSANTHEMUM is the tale of a mouse child who feels perfect in every way until she faces kindergarten ridicule for her unusual name. Meryl Streep's reading animates a story already brimming with the high emotions of childhood. A gruff-voiced father, the singing Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle, and the exasperating nasal teasing of classmates combine with Streep's perfect pacing and the lively orchestral music to create an enchanting experience in which the underling triumphs--every child's dream. T.B. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine