Chloë's Birthday . . . and Me (Anne Schwartz Books)

Features

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 40 pages
• Published by: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books May 18, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 068986230X
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0689862304
• Book Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Weighs: 15.2 ounces

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3–In this follow-up to The Year I Didn't Go to School (Atheneum, 2002), Potter is living in France with her family. Jealous that it's her sister's birthday and not her own, Giselle nonetheless goes into town with her mother to find the perfect gift. On the big day, the family takes a trip to the beach, where Giselle decides to hide Chloë's present and nearly ruins the surprise. After the girls and their parents dig around in the sand looking for it, with no success, the younger girl finds the colorfully wrapped box by accident, to everyone's relief. The naive artwork, executed in pencil, ink, gouache, gesso, and watercolor, is colorful and interesting. The illustrations bring the setting to life and provide glimpses of the local culture. The endpapers feature some of the author's mementos, such as a ticket to the Jardin du Luxembourg, a French-English grocery list, and several paintings. A map of France on the back cover traces the family's journey to the shore. This refreshingly candid picture of a sibling relationship can be used in conjunction with the memoirs of other children's writers, such as Alison Lester's My Farm (Houghton, 1994), Patricia Polacco's My Rotten, Redheaded Older Brother (S & S, 1994), and Tomie dePaola's autobiographical series (Putnam).–Jane Barrer, Washington Square Village Creative Steps, New York City
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