Hi Everyone!
TGIF! Perfect Picture Book F 😊
I love the book I’m sharing today. It portrays friendship so believably, and the moment of separation with such tenderness. If you’re a writer, this is a wonderful example to study of how to create emotion with simple text and few words.
Title: Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away
Written By: Meg Medina
Illustrated By: Sonia Sanchez
Candlewick, September 2020, fiction
Suitable For Ages: 5-7
Themes/Topics: friendship, moving, separation
Opening: “Evelyn Del Rey is my mejor amiga, my numero uno best friend.
“Come play, Daniela,” she says, just like she always does.
Just like today is any other day.“
Brief Synopsis: Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other. But today Evelyn is moving away. Putting off the moment as long as they can, the girls play until it’s time to say goodbye.
Links To Resources: Activity Guide for Families (lots of great activities!)
Why I Like This Book: Like all the best picture books, this book evokes deep emotion with a simple, beautifully crafted and well written story in very few words. Anyone who has ever had to leave someone they love, even for a little while (and I think we’ve all had that experience!) will relate to this story and be touched by it. The colorful art shows the girls’ urban neighborhood and so many little details of their shared experience – holding hands, the string that runs between their bedroom windows so they can pass things back and forth, the stickers they put on each others’ cheeks. And we are left in no doubt at the end about the place each will always have in the heart of the other, even if things have changed and Evelyn will no longer be right next door. Nothing can take the place of your very first best friend.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Susanna, this is such a tender book. I can’t wait to get it from the library. What heart-tugging art.
I love this book. It is a touching way to approach to friendship and moving. Agree that the illustrations are so beautiful and expressive. Will wait to share my review.
Oh my good gracious, you had me at the title! I can’t WAIT to add this one to my shelves.
Awww! So tender (and heart-wrenching!). This book looks wonderful, with the colorful illustrations. Thanks for sharing.
This one looks adorable, Susanna. Enjoy your weekend too.
This sounds like a lovely book that explores the loss of a close friend, as you say, something that all kids face. And I think that when it comes to spare writing, the art adds another layer of depth to the emotion as well. I’ll add this to my TBR list. Thanks, Susanna!
I love the illustration style of this too!
I agree with Barbara Gruener…you had me at the title. And thank you for being here for us, Susanna…and providing this amazing platform for picture book reviews!
oh, this looks like such a wonderful book. I can’t wait to read it.