Hi there! I’m Ryan, and I’m so happy you’re here for Story Time with Ryan and Craig. If you enjoy our stories, you can find more on our website, RyanandCraig.com. Today, we’re reading a special book called “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes. Let’s dive into the story!
When Chrysanthemum was born, her parents were overjoyed. They thought she was perfect, and they wanted her name to be just as special. So, they named her Chrysanthemum, which they thought was absolutely perfect!
As Chrysanthemum grew up, she loved her name. She enjoyed hearing it when her mom woke her up, when her dad called her for dinner, and even when she whispered it to herself in the mirror. She loved seeing her name written on birthday cakes and with her favorite orange crayon.
On the first day of school, Chrysanthemum wore her brightest dress and had a big smile. But when the teacher, Mrs. Chud, called her name, the other kids giggled. They thought her name was too long and teased her about being named after a flower. Chrysanthemum felt sad and thought her name wasn’t perfect anymore.
At home, Chrysanthemum’s parents reminded her how beautiful and special her name was. After a yummy dinner of macaroni and cheese with ketchup and lots of hugs, she felt a little better.
The next day at school, the teasing continued. The kids pretended to pick her like a flower, and Chrysanthemum felt miserable again. But her parents told her that the other kids were just jealous of her beautiful name.
One day, the class met Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher. She had a magical voice and was very kind. When the kids teased Chrysanthemum again, Mrs. Twinkle shared that her name was Delphinium, another flower name. She even said she might name her baby Chrysanthemum!
Chrysanthemum was so happy to hear this. She realized her name was truly special. The other kids started to wish they had flower names too, like Marigold and Lily of the Valley. Chrysanthemum knew her name was perfect.
The class put on a musicale, and Chrysanthemum was perfect as a daisy. Even though Victoria, the Fairy Queen, forgot her lines, Chrysanthemum giggled and had fun. Later, Mrs. Twinkle had a baby girl and named her Chrysanthemum!
Remember, your name is special and perfect just the way it is. I hope you enjoyed the story of Chrysanthemum!
Name Garden: Let’s create a “Name Garden” in our classroom! Each of you will draw a flower and write your name in the center of it. Think about what makes your name special and unique. Is it a family name? Does it have a special meaning? Share your flower and the story behind your name with the class. This way, we can celebrate how each of our names is as unique and beautiful as a garden full of different flowers!
Name Detective: Become a name detective at home! Ask your family about the story behind your name. Why did they choose it? Does it have a special meaning or history? Write down what you discover and bring it to class to share with your friends. This will help us learn more about each other and understand how every name has its own special story.
Flower Hunt: Go on a flower hunt in your neighborhood or garden. Look for flowers and try to learn their names. Do any of them have names that sound like they could be a person’s name, like Chrysanthemum or Lily? Draw a picture of your favorite flower and give it a name. Imagine what kind of person would have that name and share your ideas with the class.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hey, I’m Ryan, and welcome to Story Time with Ryan and Craig! Remember, if you like what you see, follow us on Instagram or visit our website, RyanandCraig.com, where you can see all of our read-alouds or send us a message.
Today, I want to dedicate this book to Miss Lauren’s class at Eagle Point in DeForest, Wisconsin. Thanks for sending today’s book! We’re going to read it right now. Today’s book is “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes.
The day she was born was the happiest day in her parents’ lives. “She’s perfect,” said her mother. “Absolutely,” 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.
Chrysanthemum grew and grew, and when she was old enough to appreciate it, she loved her name. She loved the way it sounded when her mother woke her up, when her father called her for dinner, and when she whispered it to herself in the bathroom mirror. Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum! She loved the way her name looked when it was written with ink on an envelope, when it was written with icing on her birthday cake, and when she wrote it herself with her fat orange crayon.
Chrysanthemum thought her name was absolutely perfect. Then she started school. On the first day, she wore her sunniest dress and her brightest smile. “Hooray!” said Chrysanthemum. But when Mrs. Chud took roll call, everyone giggled upon hearing Chrysanthemum’s name.
“It’s so long,” said Jo. “It scarcely fits on your name tag,” said Rita. “I’m named after my grandmother,” said Victoria. “You’re named after a flower.” Chrysanthemum wilted. She did not think her name was absolutely perfect; she thought it was absolutely dreadful.
The rest of the day was not much better. During naptime, Victoria raised her hand and informed Mrs. Chud that Chrysanthemum’s name was spelled with 13 letters. “That’s exactly half as many letters as there are in the entire alphabet,” Victoria explained. “Thank you for sharing with us, Victoria,” said Mrs. Chud. “Now put your head down.”
Chrysanthemum felt miserable. “School is no place for me,” she said. “My name is too long; it scarcely fits on my name tag, and I’m named after a flower.” “Oh, pish,” said her mother. “Your name is beautiful and precious and fascinating,” said her father. “It’s everything you are. Absolutely perfect,” said her mother.
Chrysanthemum felt much better after her favorite dinner—macaroni and cheese with ketchup—and an evening filled with hugs and kisses. That night, Chrysanthemum dreamed that her name was Jane. It was an extremely pleasant dream.
The next morning, Chrysanthemum wore her most comfortable jumper and walked to school as slowly as she could. She dragged her feet in the dirt. “Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum,” she wrote. “She even looks like a flower,” said Victoria as Chrysanthemum entered the playground.
“Let’s pick her,” said Rita, pointing. “Looks smaller,” said Jo. Chrysanthemum wilted again. She did not think her name was absolutely perfect; she thought it was absolutely dreadful. 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.” Chrysanthemum felt miserable again. “School is no place for me,” she said. “They said I even look like a flower. They pretended to pick me and smell me.”
“Oh, pish,” said her mother. “They’re just jealous.” “Who wouldn’t be jealous of a name like yours?” said her father. “After all, it’s absolutely perfect,” said her mother.
Chrysanthemum felt a little better after her favorite dessert—chocolate cake with buttercream frosting—and another evening filled with hugs and kisses. That night, Chrysanthemum dreamed that she really was a chrysanthemum. Victoria picked the leaves and petals one by one until there was nothing left but a scrawny stem. It was the worst nightmare of Chrysanthemum’s life.
The next morning, she loaded her pockets with her most prized possessions and good luck charms. Chrysanthemum took the longest route possible to school, stopping to stare at each and every flower.
That morning, the students were introduced to Mrs. Twinkle, the music teacher. Her voice was like something out of a dream. The students were speechless; they thought Mrs. Twinkle was an indescribable wonder. She led the students in scales and assigned roles for the class musicale.
Victoria was chosen as the dainty Fairy Queen, Rita as the spiffy butterfly princess, Jo as the all-important pixie messenger, and Chrysanthemum was chosen as a daisy. Jo, Rita, and Victoria chanted, thinking it was wildly funny. Chrysanthemum wilted again.
“What’s so humorous?” asked Mrs. Twinkle. “Chrysanthemum was the answer.” “Her name is so long,” said Jo. “It scarcely fits on a name tag,” said Rita. “I’m named after my grandmother,” said Victoria. “She’s named after a flower.”
“My name is long,” said Mrs. Twinkle. “My name would scarcely fit on a name tag,” said Mrs. Twinkle. “I’m named after a flower too.” “Ah,” said Victoria. “Yes,” said Mrs. Twinkle. “My name is Delphinium Twinkle, and if my baby is a girl, I’m considering Chrysanthemum as a name. I think it’s absolutely perfect.”
Chrysanthemum could scarcely believe her ears. She blushed, beamed, and bloomed. “Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum!” Jo, Rita, and Victoria looked at Chrysanthemum longingly.
“Call me Marigold,” said Jo. “I’m Carnation,” said Rita. “My name is Lily of the Valley,” said Victoria. Chrysanthemum did not think her name was absolutely perfect; she knew it was.
And then there’s an epilogue! The class musicale was a huge success. Chrysanthemum was absolutely perfect as a daisy. Victoria made the only mistake; she completely forgot her lines as the dainty Fairy Queen. Chrysanthemum thought it was wildly funny and giggled throughout the entire dance of the flowers.
Eventually, Mrs. Twinkle gave birth to a healthy baby girl, and of course, she named her Chrysanthemum.
So there we go! You can call yourself whatever you like, but you know what? I think your name is perfect.
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I hope you enjoy the story!
