Annika Dunklee

Me, Too! Annika Dunklee

Brief Description: "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'"--Amazon.com. Publisher Marketing: 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. Review Citations:

Kirkus Reviews 01/01/2015 (EAN 9781771381048, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 02/01/2015 pg. 66 (EAN 9781771381048, Hardcover)

Booklist 04/01/2015 pg. 83 (EAN 9781771381048, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Dunklee, Annika 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. Contributor Bio:  Smith, Lori Joy 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.