A children’s smell-awareness campaign

The Magic of Smell

A gentle story to help families discover, protect, and talk about the invisible sense that connects us to food, safety, memory, and home.

Buy the book on Amazon Why smell matters

The Day the Lilacs Disappeared book cover illustration with a child smelling lilacs

Illustration from The Day the Lilacs Disappeared

What if your favourite smell disappeared?

The Day the Lilacs Disappeared invites children and parents into a warm, beautifully illustrated story about a sense we often forget to notice — until it changes.

Smell is invisible — until it changes

Children may not always know how to explain that something is different about their sense of smell. Parents may not think to ask. This story creates a gentle way to begin the conversation.

🍲

Food

Much of what we think of as flavour comes from smell. When smell changes, food may seem bland, strange, or less enjoyable.

🏠

Safety

Smell can help children notice smoke, spoiled food, gas, chemicals, and other warning signals in the environment.

🌸

Memory

The scent of flowers, a favourite meal, or a familiar home can become part of a child’s emotional world.

💜

Connection

Smell is part of how children experience seasons, family, comfort, and the places they love.

A story about smell, memories, empathy, and healing

Kushboo loves the scent of spring lilacs, warm spices, birthday cake, and home. But one day, something invisible changes.

With the help of her family, her doctor, and a little hope, she discovers just how precious the sense of smell truly is.

Buy the book on Amazon

Back cover text preview for The Day the Lilacs Disappeared

A preview of the book’s message

Five simple questions to ask your child

After reading the story, try asking:

What are your favourite smells?
Can you smell flowers, soap, or your favourite food?
Do any smells seem weaker than before?
Do familiar smells ever seem strange or unpleasant?
Can you smell important warning smells, like smoke or spoiled food?

If your child has a new, persistent, unexplained, or concerning change in smell, consider discussing it with a healthcare professional.

Created with medical insight, written for families

The sense of smell is often overlooked, even though it plays an important role in daily life, safety, food enjoyment, and emotional memory.

This book was created as a family-friendly sensitization tool to help children, parents, and healthcare professionals start an important conversation about smell.

It is not a diagnostic test. It is a story — and sometimes a story is the easiest way to begin.

For clinics, classrooms, and waiting rooms

The Day the Lilacs Disappeared can be used by parents, ENT clinics, pediatric practices, allergy clinics, family medicine clinics, smell and taste clinics, schools, libraries, and patient education programs.

It offers a gentle way to help children and families understand that smell matters.