Juanita Havill

The overall theme of the book is to love what you love and not let the opinions of others change your mind. Both girls let the other girl's opinion of their boots make them feel bad until they sit and talk and make clear their full, true opinion of the situation and they are able to resume their friendship and be happy. It would be good to help teach kids about peer pressure. The illustrations in the book are lovely. The emotional expressions are portrayed with delicate subtlety that is delightful. They could definitely be used in a reading time with additional questions to draw out more critical thinking about the topic of peer pressure.… (more)

Jamaica is a little girl the main character in this book. The story follows her as she finds things on the playground one day. She turns everything in to the lost and found except for a stuffed dog. The reader follows along as she learns that just because she wants something that she cannot just take it and have it. Jamaica takes the toy back the next day, and makes a new friend who is looking for a toy she lost at the playground the day before. Jamaica takes the girl to the lost and found and gets her the dog back. This could be useful in the classroom to help remind the students that it is important to always be kind and courteous to others.… (more)