Sophie Sleeps Over

January 20, 2014
For Sophie the rabbit, her first sleepover party becomes a flashpoint for some big anxieties. Is she a big enough girl to spend a night away from home and her transitional object (a doll named Turnip)? Is Olive, the party’s hostess, really her best friend? And if so, why is another guest, Penelope, also claiming to fill that role in Olive’s life? Sophie’s ever-shifting desires to fit in, fight (“See, I really am Olive’s best friend,” she thinks after high-stakes game of Pin the Tail on the Raccoon), or flee will strike a chord with readers, and the matter-of-fact, mostly single-plane gouache illustrations give them just enough of a healthy distance from Sophie’s pain to open up a discussion. Russo (Peter Is Just a Baby) does tie up her loose emotional ends a bit neatly—when Penelope and Sophie concur that “you can never have too many” best friends, the invisible hand of the grownup is too present—but the story remains a sharp, sympathetic portrait of the trickiness of young friendships. Ages 3–7.

January 15, 2014
A little bunny attends a sleepover birthday party at her best friend's house and discovers she may not be Olive's only "best friend." "[B]est bunny friends" Sophie and Olive enjoy snacking on carrots, cabbage and kale. They like wearing bracelets, bows and tiaras. They play jump-rope, hopscotch, tag and pingpong. So when Olive invites Sophie to her birthday sleepover, Sophie's "happy from the tops of her ears to the tips of her toes" but surprised when another bunny named Penelope answers Olive's door and announces she's Olive's best friend. Since Sophie thought she was Olive's best friend, she's confused and feels slighted. Eventually, Sophie and Penelope confront Olive about which is her best friend, and Olive tells them you can have more than one best friend. Skeptical, Penelope and Sophie can't fall asleep until they confess to each other this is their first sleepover and they miss their favorite dolls. After this confidential exchange, Sophie decides Olive may be right. Simple, flat, pastel-hued gouache illustrations exude an innocent cheer as they progress from Olive and Sophie's apparently exclusive friendship to Olive's more expansive perspective with her two best friends, Sophie and Penelope. A charming, emotionally resonant exploration of the oh-so-important concept of "best friend." (Picture book. 3-7)

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March 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-Sophie, a cheerful bunny, is caught off guard when she attends her first birthday sleepover at her best friend's house and discovers that Olive has invited another friend as well. Russo show readers that friendship is not exclusive and can grow to include others. Even though Sophie initially feels like a third wheel and wants to go home, she regains her confidence when she gets to know Penelope. The colorful gouache paintings feature attractive designs on the bunnies' clothing as well as on their sleeping bags and furniture. A great read-aloud and a gentle way to help children consider the idea of expanding their circles of friends.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2014
Preschool-G Sophie and Olive have been best bunny friends ever since they started kindergarten. At Olive's sleepover party, Sophie meets Penelope, who introduces herself as Olive's best friend. Olive declares that both girls are her besties, but the emotional tug-of-war within Sophie continues all evening. Later, while Olive slumbers, sleepless Sophie and Penelope talk. They bond during their quiet conversation, each confessing that, for fear of looking babyish, she left at home the doll she always sleeps with. By the time they are drowsy, they have decided that maybe you can have two best friends. Sensitive to the challenges of three-person friendships, the well-written text dramatizes Sophie's emotions with perception and precision. Created with gouache paints, the illustrations make good use of white space and dark, shadowy grays as well as bright colors. The simplified figures in the paintings are wonderfully expressive in their faces, gestures, and body language. Fine for reading aloud, this handsome picture book finds a satisfying conclusion to a common problem.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)