What James Said

April 20, 2015
The team behind Tyrannosaurus Dad examines how conflicts often arise from simple misunderstandings. The narrator is a primary school–aged Caucasian girl with brown hair and freckles; her friend James is an African-American boy with glasses and an openhearted smile. She stands glowering on the left side of a spread, hands on her hips. “I’m never talking to James again,” she announces. James stands on the facing page, innocently balancing books on his head. What has James done? He said, the girl has heard through the school grapevine, “that I think I am perfect.” She shuns him at school, and James, whose clowning hides sensitivity and intuition, knows something is wrong. A school art show and a blue ribbon for a picture the girl drew reveal what James actually said: “I think it’s perfect.... That’s what I tell everyone.” Phew! Rosenberg lets the characters tell their own story without moralizing, and Myers’s attention to emotion makes it easy to sympathize with them. There’s lots to talk about here. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from April 1, 2015
A young girl can't help but be angry when she learns her best friend is talking about her behind her back. As the title suggests, everything hinges on what exactly James said. The pint-sized, artistic narrator heard that James-her best friend-told everyone she thinks she is perfect. But she most certainly does not! She thinks she has big feet and plain hair, and she messes up in math all the time. A misunderstanding is hinted at in the very first pages, where Rosenberg and Myers set up a visual game of "Telephone": James tells Aiden, who tells Hunter, who tells Katie (and so forth).... But the girl knows what she heard and retaliates by giving James the silent treatment. All day at school, James tries harder and harder to be her friend, to no avail. Until the art show, when she suddenly realizes that perhaps James said something entirely different. This common childhood struggle is enhanced by the art, which beautifully depicts the girl's sense of betrayal. With a dripping paintbrush in hand, she throws angry splotches over Myers' illustrations, adding her own images in wide, watercolor strokes. She and her friend, depicted realistically, are surrounded by taunting stick figures. The little girl is Caucasian with a brown pageboy; the bespectacled little boy is African-American. Perfectly in tune with the charged emotions involved in navigating friendship and trust. (Picture book. 4-8)

Starred review from October 1, 2015

K-Gr 3-Telephone is a game that many children have enjoyed for generations-that is, when the game is intentional. But what about when something gets passed from person to person and it isn't fun for everyone involved? In Rosenberg's charming picture book, a girl is upset by what she perceives to be a derogatory comment coming from her best friend. James has never treated her unkindly before, which makes the comment even more surprising. Through some persistence, some patience, and even some luck, she finally unveils "what James said" and realizes how she misinterpreted it. This simple story will resonate with young readers who are learning to navigate the tricky waters of friendship. Myers's illustrations are created with "cheap ballpoint pen and watercolor." Don't let the description dissuade-they are simply delightful. Sprinkled with additional childlike embellishments, the realistic artwork shows great emotion and detail that will engage the intended audience. A clever read that can be shared with a group and is perfect for independent reading. VERDICT Witty, relatable, and a great purchase for children in any setting.-Megan Egbert, Meridian Library District, ID

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Preschool-G A young freckle-faced artist is angry with her used-to-be best friend, James, a bespectacled African American boy. It appears James told Aiden something about her, and Aiden told Hunter, and Hunter passed on the remark, and so on, until the comment made its way back to the main character. A humorous double-page spread, reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's Telephone, shows children's expressive face-to-face relaying of James' comment. The girl, shocked and saddened by her friend's cruel words, gives him the cold shoulder, while James, puzzled by her aloofness, tries throughout the school day to discover its reason. Delightful pen-and-watercolor illustrations on crisp white backgrounds reveal the girl's artistic inclinations as she tells her sorry story. Anger is demonstrated by splotches of paint on the pages, applause is revealed by colorful handprints, and, at times, other children are simply drawn outlines as the girl and James take center stage in their conflict. A charming tale of misunderstanding and reconciliation.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)