Kim Kane (text), Jon Davis (illus.) The Clever Friend (Ginger Green, Play Date Queen), Hardie Grant Egmont, Dec 2016, 64pp., $9.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760127862
Kim Kane (text), Jon Davis (illus.), The Only Friend (Ginger Green, Play Date Queen), Hardie Grant Egmont, Oct 2016, 64pp., $9.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760127855
Shy friends, bossy friends, lonely friends, reckless friends: When you’re seven years old, you face an array of social dilemmas. But, never fear, because Ginger Green is the play date queen and this foxy little lady is perfect for guiding early school readers through a variety of challenges.
The next two books in the Ginger Green series include The Clever Friend, where we meet a know-it-all friend who knows nothing about play dates as she’s only allowed to have one each holidays.
In The Only Friend, Ginger feels left out when her play date, an only child, seems to prefer playing with Ginger’s big sister, Violet.
In both books, Ginger’s endearing enthusiasm and honesty help her overcome these conflicts, which many children will relate to, and she finds ways to embrace the different personalities of her new friends.
With simple chapters, big font and whimsical illustrations, the Ginger Green stories are a wonderful starting point for discussions about jealousy, frustration, social etiquette and diversity.
Reviewed by Penny Harrison
