Me, Too!

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.