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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607003095943 | Picture Books | DUNKLEE | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
There are many reasons why Annie is best friends with Lillemor, who is from Sweden. "They're the same age ... They like the same colors ... They like doing the same things ... They can both speak another language. Okay, so Annie made hers up, but she is pretty sure it still counts." Annie and Lillemor like each other so much they play together every day. But then Lilianne, a new girl from France, arrives. Annie can't stand that Lillemor has become friends with Lilianne, and that Lilianne seems to have more things in common with Lillemor than Annie does --- even their names, which both begin with "Lil"! Has Annie lost her best friend forever?This funny, honest picture book by Annika Dunklee perfectly captures the rhythms of youngsters' friendships and emotions, while also reminding them that there's always room for new people in their lives. The playful artwork by Lori Joy Smith uses dialogue bubbles to enrich the text, which offer an opportunity for acting out the story in the classroom while it's being read. A special touch here is the use of two other languages, Swedish and French (with translations), to expand young children's understanding of who they can be friends with, making this a terrific book for introducing foreign languages and cultures. This charming, engaging story can also serve as a springboard for discussions on friendship and feelings, character education lessons on inclusiveness, and social studies classes on multiculturalism.
Author Notes
Annika Dunklee was born in Uppsala, Sweden, to a Scottish father and a Swedish mother. She bases a lot of her stories on her own childhood memories. My Name Is Elizabeth! was inspired by anyone who dislikes having his or her name shortened, lengthened, mispronounced or mangled in some way.
Lori Joy Smith is an illustrator and fine artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries across Canada and the United States. Her illustrations have appeared on greeting cards and in Chirp, American Girl, Teen and Today's Parent magazines, among other places. Lori enjoys knitting, drawing and sewing. She lives with her family in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Reviews (1)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Annie and her best friend, Lillemor, have many things in common. Annie is seven, and Lillemor says, "Me, too!" They both love pink, purple, and jumping rope. Lillemor can speak English and Swedish; Annie can speak English and Oinky Boinky. (Well, she thinks that counts as a second language.) The girls revel in their similarities and enjoy sharing their differences, such as Lillemor's Swedish foods and clothing vs. Annie's American cuisine and dress. One day Annie arrives at school and Lillemor isn't there to greet her. Annie spies her jumping rope and having fun with another girl. Uh-oh-Lilianne is bilingual and has the same favorite colors and will be seven next week. Anyone who has ever experienced the angst and dynamics of adding a new friend into the fold will relate to Annie's worries. She feels left out until Lillemor reminds her of their special connections, and all three girls become best friends. Annie is relieved and realizes, "I was worrying for nothing!" The lively illustrations, rendered in pencil and colored in Photoshop, use a bright palette. Speech bubbles for the dialogue add interest and emphasis. VERDICT A good book with a strong message of inclusiveness for children experiencing some friendship growing pains.-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.