• Age: 4 to 7
• Grade: p to 2
• Reading age: 4 to 7

There are many reasons why Annie is best friends with Lillemor, who is from Sweden. “They're the same age ... They like the same colors ... They like doing the same things ... They can both speak another language. Okay, so Annie made hers up, but she is pretty sure it still counts.” Annie and Lillemor like each other so much they play together every day. But then Lilianne, a new girl from France, arrives. Annie can't stand that Lillemor has become friends with Lilianne, and that Lilianne seems to have more things in common with Lillemor than Annie does --- even their names, which both begin with “Lil”! Has Annie lost her best friend forever?

This funny, honest picture book by Annika Dunklee perfectly captures the rhythms of youngsters' friendships and emotions, while also reminding them that there's always room for new people in their lives. The playful artwork by Lori Joy Smith uses dialogue bubbles to enrich the text, which offer an opportunity for acting out the story in the classroom while it's being read. A special touch here is the use of two other languages, Swedish and French (with translations), to expand young children's understanding of who they can be friends with, making this a terrific book for introducing foreign languages and cultures. This charming, engaging story can also serve as a springboard for discussions on friendship and feelings, character education lessons on inclusiveness, and social studies classes on multiculturalism.

ANNIKA DUNKLEE was born in Uppsala, Sweden, to a Scottish father and a Swedish mother. She is the award-winning author of many books, including My Name Is Elizabeth!, Me, Too! and Me, Me, Me. When she’s not writing, she’s busy eating cheese. She currently resides in Toronto, Ontario with her husband, two teens, a puppy and a cockatiel.

Annika Dunklee's profile page

Lori Joy Smith est illustratrice et artiste. Ses oeuvres ont été exposées dans plusieurs galeries d'art à travers le Canada et les États-Unis tandis que ses illustrations ont paru sur des cartes de souhaits et dans les revues Chirp, American Girl, Teen et Today's Parent. Lori aime faire du tricot, dessiner et coudre. Elle habite à Charlottetown à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard.

Lori Joy Smith is an illustrator and fine artist whose work has been exhibited in galleries across Canada and the United States. Her illustrations have appeared on greeting cards and in Chirp, American Girl, Teen and Today's Parent magazines, among other places. Lori enjoys knitting, drawing and sewing. She lives with her family in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Lori Joy Smith's profile page

• Winner, Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre
• Winner, Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre

An original and enjoyable tale on the travails of friendship.—Resource Links

A good book with a strong message of inclusiveness for children experiencing some friendship growing pains.—School Library Journal

... this book would be a welcomed addition to any classroom or home library.—CM Magazine

Dunklee manages to to distil all the complexities of girlhood friendships in a few lines written in Swedish and French, with magnitudes of subtext going unsaid.—National Post

With its familiar themes and fizzy text, this is one both listeners and readers will enjoy.—Kirkus Reviews

Give this to fans of Grace Lin's Ling Ting: Not Exactly the Same (2010) or Kate DiCamillo's Bink and Gollie.—Booklist