Sandwich Swap

When two friendsandmdash;a sock monkey and a plush toy dogandmdash;get into an argument during playtime, Monkey gets his feelings hurt and proclaims, andldquo;You are not my friend!andrdquo; But when he takes his ball to find someone new to play with, he quickly learns that maybe he hasnandrsquo;t been a very good friend, either.Bestselling author/illustrator Daniel Kirk uses bold and humorous illustrations to convey the important message that sharing and other acts of friendship are two-way streets.

Praise for You Are Not My Friend, But I Miss You

andquot;Kirkandrsquo;s skillfully paced mix of vignettes, close-ups and long shots guide readers smoothly through this emotional odyssey.andquot;

--Kirkus Reviews

andquot;His frequent use of bold, large-scale drawing captures Monkeyandrsquo;s equally outsize temperament, while the emphatic, minimal text is subtly poignant and supremely performable.andquot;

--Publishers Weekly

and#160;

In her author's note, Jordanian royal Al Abdullah explains that an incident from her childhood inspired this story about best friends who do everything together at school, including eat lunch. Lily's choice of sandwich is peanut butter and jelly while Salma's is hummus on pita, and each girl thinks the other's fare is "weird" or "gross." When Lily finally vocalizes her opinion, the two exchange heated words, leading schoolmates to take sides and toss out nastier insults ("You look funny! You dress dumb!"), eventually escalating into a messy, cafeteria-wide food fight. Message trumps realism: the speed with which the girls make peace-after sampling one another's sandwiches-is as unlikely as the food fight itself. A foldout spread amplifies the readily apparent themes of acceptance and sharing, as the girls and their classmates enjoy a buffet of international foods. Featuring pastel hues, Tusa's (Fred Stays with Me!) wispy mixed-media artwork assuredly depicts the bond between the protagonists and adds dollops of humor-such as the food that gets wedged into the stern lunch lady's bouffant-to this well-intentioned if predictable story.--PW

andquot;The digitized pen-and-ink illustrations add depth and texture to the story. The series of gracefully crafted spreads eloquently portrays the ups and downs of Monkeyandrsquo;s emotional journey. Young readers will identify with the plush, huggable characters and sympathize with Monkey as he struggles to sort out his feelings.andquot;

andquot;...children will relate to Monkeyand#39;s epiphany that it takes two to share.andquot;

The day Lily stops eating her peanut butter and jelly sandwich to tell Salma her hummus and pita sandwich looks yucky and vice versa is the day they stop being friends. Their collaborative art projects end. They no longer play on the swings or jump rope together, and, at lunch time, they sit at different tables. As their story spreads across the school, so does intolerance. Students begin choosing sides in the cafeteria and calling each other "Jelly heads" and "Chickpea brains." When the two girls get caught in the middle of a food fight and called to the principal's office, they decide it's time to make some changes. The first is accomplished over their sandwich lunch; the second, over a multicultural smorgasbord, the latter depicted on a foldout of an enormous table laden with dishes and flags. Soft watercolor cartoon illustrations portray a lively student body and a slightly forbidding principal. This engaging title reminds children that having the courage to try new things can result in positive experiences.--SLJ

The Queen of Jordan is the co-author of this lively picture book based on her nursery-school experiences that taught her to be "open to what seems foreign or strange." Salma and Lily are best friends at school, and lively, double page spreads show the girls having fun, drawing pictures, playing in the schoolyard, and eating lunch together, until one day Lily blurts out that Salma's sandwich (pita bread and hummus) looks kind of yucky, and Salma says the same about her friend's peanut butter and jelly ("looks gross, and it smells bad, too"). The harmonious pictures change to show angry standoffs, and other kids choose sides, shout insults, and begin a huge food fight. Finally, after a visit to the principal's office, Salma and Lily feel ashamed. They taste each other's sandwiches (yummy!), hug, and trade lunch. The story is preachy, and food makes a too-easy peacemaker. But preschoolers will recognize the school drama of friends and enemies and the messy confrontations that are resolved.--Booklist

Her Majesty, Queen Rania's children's book is inspired by her own experience. As written by DiPucchio, it is a warmhearted and gently humorous fable about two girls who become aware of their subtle cultural differences, only to have their friendship strengthened as a result. Full color.

Swing high into the sky and explore a world full of earthy and elegant colors with the girl in this story as she experiences nature with a twist of her imagination. After shes ventured far away, she floats gently back down and heads home, where her mother is waiting.

Tricia Tusas lyrical story and rich, sweeping art create a stylish swirl of charm and adventure, perfect for anyone whos ever sat on a swing and daydreamed.

Lily and Salma are best friends. They play together and stick together through thick and thin. But who would have ever thought that ordinary peanut butter or plain old hummus could come between them? Lily and Salma don't quite understand each other's tastes, but does that mean they can't be friends? They understand far better than a lot of gown ups that these things hardly matter and that friendship is the most important thing of all.

Her Majesty,Queen Rania's children's book is inspired by her own experience.  As written by Kelly Dipuchio, it is a warm-hearted and gently humorous fable about two girls who become aware of their subtle cultural differences, only to have their friendship strengthened as a result. Her Majesty travels the world promoting children's causes as well as cross-cultural understanding and tolerance.

Lily and Salma are best friends. They like doing all the same things, and they always eat lunch together. Lily eats peanut butter and Salma eats hummus-but what's that between friends? It turns out, a lot. Before they know it, a food fight breaks out. Can Lily and Salma put aside their differences? Or will a sandwich come between them?

The smallest things can pull us apart-until we learn that friendship is far more powerful than difference. In a glorious three-page gatefold at the end of the book, Salma, Lily, and all their classmates come together in the true spirit of tolerance and acceptance.

Swing high into the sky and explore a world full of earthy and elegant colors with the girl in this story as she experiences nature with a twist of her imagination.and#160;After sheand#8217;s ventured far away, she floats gently back down and heads home, where her mother is waiting.

Tricia Tusaand#8217;s lyrical story and rich, sweeping art createand#160;a stylish swirl of charm and adventure, perfect for anyone whoand#8217;s ever sat on a swing and daydreamed.

"A glorious visual meditation on light, color and home for even the smallest child and artist."and#8212;Kirkus Reviews,starred review

"It's Tusa's portrait of the ideal childhood, liberated from the tyranny of schedules and achievement....inward-turned imaginers will recognize themselves."and#8212;Publishers Weekly

"Like a swing on an autumn day, this gentle, contemplative title invites viewers to escape and soar."and#8212;BooklistTRICIA TUSA has written and illustrated many wonderful picture books, includingIn a Blue Roomby Jim Averbeck;Mrs. Spitzer's Gardenby Edith Pattou;and#160;The Magic Hatand#160;by Mem Fox,and#160;which was choosen as an IRA-CBC Children's Choice; andThe End of the Beginningby Avi. She lives with her family in Galisteo, New Mexico.