Makayla Cares about Others

March 1, 2007
Gr 1-3-Eight-year-old Makayla is great at helping others, but her fear of bugs keeps her from assisting her neighbor in planting a memory garden for her cat. After thinking of the things her grandfather does to indicate his love, such as taking her for ice cream even though he can't eat it, the girl realizes that she must overcome her anxiety to prove that she cares. The illustrations portray Makayla pondering the problem and overcoming her concern. Pictures vary in size, which keeps readers' focus. This book is useful for discussing concern for others, but it also can stand alone as an enjoyable story."Sandra Welzenbach, Villarreal Elementary School, San Antonio, TX"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2007
Makayla likes to help people, and she certainly wants to help her neighbor Mrs. MacFee make a memory garden for her cat, Furgus. But Makayla is held back by her fear of bugs. She just cant make herself dig in with the creepy crawlers. Then, as Makayla sits in her house, she remembers how her grandfather, who cant eat sweets, still takes her to the ice-cream store because she enjoys it. Now, Makayla thinks, she knows what caring means. She overcomes her fear to help Mrs. MacFee, and when she sees how sad her neighbor still is, she goes a step further with a thoughtful gesture. The shiny artwork, with its look of an animated television show, will be familiar to kids. Its the message about caring, however, told in a way listeners will understand, that is the heart of this book, an entry in the ongoing The Way I Act series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)