A unique story book for children, painted in the naive style cherished so much by them. 

"Barbara Sala's "Celestine and the Magical Geranium" is about the relationship between a girl and a special flower. The girl tends the flower which in turn nourishes her soul. People unintentionally destroy the flower in their overzealous enjoyment of it. The girl's hope is restored when she realizes that she can grow more geraniums from the seeds left behind. Sala's naïve artwork, rendred in acrylic and oil, is rich with bright colours".

Carol-Ann Hoyte, Montreal Reviews of Books, Fall & Winter 2004/05, Volume 8, No. 1 

"Imaginatively written and colorfully illustrated for young readers 5 through 7 by Barbara Sala, "Celestine And The Magical Geranium" is the picturebook of a young girl and the geranium seed that will touch her life forever. The flower she raises is a friend and more, growing to touch the skies. All things come to an end, whether natural or hastened, and the girl and the magical geranium must say goodbye... yet their friendship lives on, and can be spread through the gift of seeds. A moving story about bonds to treasure and the cycle of life."

Midwest Bookreview 

“Celestine and the Magical Geranium is a delightful book for young children. Barbara Sala has provided both text and pictures. The visual impact is particularly striking. The pictures are vividly coloured, and full of lively activity of many kinds. Children tend to like books with many things to look at. Here we have gardens, birds, animals, and a few people. The birds and animals seem in constant movement as the gardens flourish and the sun and sky peer down on an animated earth. The vitality of all this movement is stimulating.”

Sheila McDonough, PHD, Professor emeritus, author of Gandhi’s Responses to Islam and other works 

Ms Sala, after some years of creative work on individual canvasses, has decided to venture one step further and to combine the written word with her painting. Through this fusion she gives verbal expression, and opens our eyes and minds, to the hidden meaning of her visual creations. It is a book where magic reigns, where material needs and spiritual aspirations go hand in hand, one complementing and necessitating the other. The heroine Celestine (i.e., the “celestial” in a blue and white dotted dress – sky and clouds) is the conduit for the appearance in this world of the eternal spirit (the magical geranium). Its development and growth to a mythical size, its downfall and destruction by the mindless masses and its rebirth and multiplication from the one to innumerable smaller flower-spirits all over the island clearly demonstrate the author’s faith in the invincibility of the human spirit. In the numerous illustrations the geranium is always surrounded by a plethora of plants, trees, animals and people. The whole is watching, bathed in a kaleidoscopic whirl of bright, enthusiastic colours.

Rigas Bertos, PHD, Chairman of the Department of Art History, ret’d., McGill University. 

“Barbara Sala’s work has opened my eyes to the sophistication inherent in naïve art, and the depth of the symbolism in her paintings. Her story “Celestine and the Magical Geranium” captivates and beguiles the reader – adult and child together – while subtly offering a lesson to treasure.”

Alcida Boissonnault, mother, grandmother, entrepreneur. 

“What a wonderful book to share with children. Can be linked to science, and moral and religious instructions. Thank you for your wonderful vision”.

Patrizia Ciccarelli, Vice-Principal and teacher. 

"This book is a marvel. Children from any age will be touched by the colorful illustrations and the songlike texts will invite parents to read it over and over to their younger ones. I recommend it to everyone including adults!"

Anna Urbani, creator of educational wooden toys.