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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607002780453 | Picture Books | BRIDGES | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
Mary Wrightly is the best-behaved little girl around. She always politely says please and thank you and even "I'm sorry" when something isn't her fault. But when a shopper comes between Mary and the blue elephant toy she wants to buy for her beloved baby brother, will Mary just let the woman walk away with it? Speak up, Mary! Monescillo's charming illustrations capture the spirit of this gentle look at how asserting oneself is not rude, and even occasionally out-and-out necessary.
Author Notes
Shirin Yim Bridges is an award-winning author and the founder of Goosebottom Books. She lives in Foster City, California. Visit her website at www.goosebottombooks.com . MARIA MONESCILLOis the illustrator of Myra Wolfe's Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime , and has also worked as an animator. She lives in Askim, Norway."
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Mary Wrightly is a soft-spoken and polite child. She says "please" and "thank you" and never complains. As her brother's first birthday approaches, she wants to buy him a present. The store is crowded, and Mary tries to stay out of the way while her mother chats with a neighbor. While waiting, she spots several toys that she knows her sibling would like. After other shoppers snatch up a teddy bear and a fluffy duck, she sees a blue elephant with round pink cheeks. It has a sweet smile like her baby brother. But then another lady reaches for it, and Mary knows that she must speak up. "'Excuse me, but that blue elephant is for my baby brother!'" she says, her voice growing stronger with each word. The obliging lady gives it to her. At home, her brother crows with delight when Mary dangles the toy over his crib, and the elephant smiles down at him. Mary and her happy family are portrayed in jewel-toned and textured pastel on cardboard illustrations. The luminous drawings have a vibrant, tactile quality. The stuffed animals on display at the store appear especially plush and huggable. Mary, with her wavy blond hair and rosy pink cheeks, is an endearing character who learns when to speak up for herself. Team her up with Emily from Cindy Post Senning's Emily's Sharing and Caring Book (HarperCollins, 2008) for a gentle lesson on using good manners.-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Are quiet, polite people saps? Our Internet flame-warring, frequently uncivil society seems to suggest that they are. But Bridges's (Ruby's Wish) succinct text and Monescillo's (Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime) gorgeously saturated pastels on cardboard make a powerful, much-needed argument for the virtues of civility, handling knotty subjects with elegance and considerable style. Mary Wrightly is the kind of person who says "Excuse me" even when someone else is at fault. On a trip to a chaotic toy store to buy a present for her one-year-old brother, Mary responds with admirable restraint when "a handbag bonk[s] her on the head" and Mama gets engrossed in a conversation. When it looks like the perfect stuffed animal present is getting away, Mary Wrightly summons her courage: "Excuse me, but that blue elephant is for my baby brother!" she says "so politely" yet firmly, as the typography escalates in size. The elephant is secured, baby brother is pleased ("Maaagaaa-gaaa!"), and Mary's faith in politeness emerges unshaken-bringing to very satisfying close a nearly perfect parable about being true to oneself in a rough-and-tumble world. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Shannon Associates. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.