November 1, 2022
Sisters face fears on their first night in separate bedrooms. Kat is excited to have her own room, but her younger sister, Tina, feels uncertain. "What if I get scared?" asks Tina. "I may be in my new room, but I am leaving you with all of my stuffies!" Kat tells Tina. Imaginative scenes ensue as Kat explains how the various toys--from courageous Leo the Lion to creative Ollie the Octopus to magical Uni the Unicorn--will support her. Before leaving Tina, Kat gives her a calming rhyme to repeat. The toys are helpful, but as the night turns stormy, both Tina and Kat realize that there's nothing quite as reassuring as a cuddle with a sibling. Bright, gentle illustrations in a cozy cotton-candy palette give off the feeling of a slumber party, with toys and knickknacks filling both girls' rooms. Any child who has felt nervous about sleeping alone will be absorbed. While caregivers are not part of this tale, an adult sharing this story with a child can find practical tools, like using a comforting stuffed animal or soothing phrase. Though there's nothing groundbreaking here, the book is an effective conversation starter about evolving sibling relationships and the struggles of learning to sleep alone. Both sisters present White. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet--and bolstering--bedtime story. (Picture book. 3-7)
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January 1, 2023
K-Gr 2-A cute book featuring sisterly bonds. Older sister Kat is finally moving into her own room. Younger sister Tina is nervous and scared about having to sleep in their old room by herself. Kat shares her stuffies and tells Tina how each stuffie has a "magical" power that will help Tina when she feels afraid or alone. The text is simple, with several sentences on each page. The rhyme that Kat teaches Tina to call on the magic of the stuffies is clunky. The digital illustrations feature whimsical detail with clouds, stars, and fluffy blankets. The sisters are both depicted as white. VERDICT There really isn't much here; an additional purchase to fill out sibling shelves.-V. Lynn Christiansen
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 13, 2023
When big sister Kat moves to a solo “big girl room,” younger sibling Tina worries: “I’ve never slept in our room without you. What if I get scared?” By means of reassurance, Kat generously offers to leave her stuffies with Tina: “They’ve already helped me. And now they can help you, too.” Leo the Lion, Moo Cow, Uni the Unicorn, and others are each called out for a “special power” and featured in gentle narrative spreads that showcase the light-skinned sisters playing together alongside each toy (“Endlessly creative” Ollie the Octopus looks on while the sisters make art). Kat further recommends a catchy chant: “Have no fear,/ with stuffies near./ They’ll keep me safe throughout the night,” Schwarzenegger Pratt writes. But even as the rhymes offer solace, a thunderstorm tests both girls’ mettle and highlights the power of their bond. In pastel hues and soft-edged domestic scenes, Fleming’s art echoes the text’s tenderness for a celebration of sisterhood. Ages 3–7.