Ten Kisses for Sophie!

January 1, 2016
It's party planning time, and Sophie happily makes chocolate kisses for the guests--but will there be enough? Once again, Granny saves the day in this heartfelt counting tale. Sophie, the little mouse heroine, is back, and she's grown with her readers. From sleeping in a big-girl bed to helping in the kitchen, she's become one capable rodent. Together with Mama, she whips up a batch of extra-special, pistachio-buttercream-filled chocolate kisses. The 10 pieces, in their glorious detail (mint-green wrappers! candle toppers!) glow like jewels, beckoning to Sophie. But she must wait until the party. To reassure herself there are enough for all, she creates a place card for each guest, counting as she goes: 10 guests, 10 kisses, and all is well. Until an unexpected guest arrives. With not enough kisses to go around, Sophie valiantly tries to hold back her tears. Granny, ever observant and always discreet, quickly accesses the situation and proclaims she's on a chocolate-free diet, leaving one kiss for Sophie, who happily gobbles it down. Wells' signature style emanates a warmth and earnestness, perfectly depicting Sophie's emotions and Granny's tender response. She takes her exquisitely detailed patterns, fabrics, and textures to a new level, offering a fresh vision in a digital-heavy world. A successful counting book whose celebration of intergenerational relationships sets it apart. (Picture book. 2-5)

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January 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-Wells continues her Sophie series with this accurate look at childhood desire and disappointment. Mama and Sophie make yummy chocolate kisses with pistachio buttercream filling for Aunt Prunella's birthday party, but will 10 be enough for all the guests and Sophie to have one? This is the question that plagues Sophie all through the night. Only after she makes place cards for all the guests then counts them and the kisses (placed on top of the refrigerator "in case of midnight invaders") can she sleep knowing there is just enough for everyone. Then a morning phone call changes everything ("Why couldn't Cousin Martha stay in Saskatoon?"), and a very disappointed Sophie can barely eat the birthday meal. Luckily, Sophie has a clever, kind, and quick-thinking Granny who declares when offered a chocolate kiss-"I'm on a nut-free, chocolate-free, butter-free diet!" As Sophie devours the delicious treat, she is glad not to be on that diet! As in the previous "Sophie" books, Wells's uncluttered illustrations are a perfect complement to her text, with great facial expressions, subtle detail (e.g., chocolate-spattered dishes filling the sink in the background), and pastel colors. VERDICT Wells gets to the heart of childhood worry in this Sophie tale. Sure to be popular.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2016
Preschool-K For Aunt Prunella's birthday party, Sophie (a little mouse) helps Mama prepare a special dessert: chocolate kisses made with pistachio buttercream. Sophie wants to eat hers immediately, but she must wait for tomorrow's party. Late that night, she visits the kisses, frets over whether there will be enough, and makes place cards to sort things out: 10 people, 10 chocolate kisses. But the next morningsurprise!Aunt Martha arrives from Saskatoon. Worried about whether there will be a kiss for her, Sophie is too upset to eat, until her perceptive Granny saves the day. Written with short sentences, simple words, and a bit of dialogue, the story includes appropriate details but focuses on the essentials. The artwork, created with ink, watercolor, and gouache, uses spring colors to create a cheerful look. For children who are learning their numbers, the illustrations offer counting opportunities that are integral to the story. From the likable main character to the happy ending, the fourth book in the Sophie series is a satisfying choice for young children.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
Sophie helps her mama prepare for her aunt's birthday party by making chocolate kisses, but she's afraid there won't be one left for her to eat. Familiar childhood worries are gently explored through this kind mouse family, though the resolution--a female relative pretends to be on a diet--sends an unintended message. Comforting, pastel-colored illustrations warmly complement the story.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)