ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
PRESCHOOL
Lê, Minh

Real to Me

40 pp. | Knopf | May, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9780593377499 $18.99 | Library ISBN 9780593377505 $21.99 | Ebook ISBN 9780593377512 $10.99
(2) PS Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa. "When you have a great friend, the rest of the world can seem to disappear." But if that friend suddenly disappears, can you trust that they were real? Lê (Lift, rev. 5/20) and Figueroa's (illustrator of We Wait for the Sun, rev. 5/21) heartwarming story adds a twist to the typical imaginary-friend scenario: here it's a brown-skinned girl who unexpectedly vanishes and a green, furry monster who's despondent over her absence and is left questioning what's true. Over time, the monster realizes that what matters is that "she was real to me." Repetition in Lê's text highlights similarities and differences between the monster's experiences with the little girl, without her, and then with new monster friends. This technique emphasizes and validates the childlike thought process of the monster, a stand-in for young readers who may be working through their own feelings of uncertainty; it also helps them better understand change, both in the text's phrasing and in friendships. The depth and textures in Figueroa's digital illustrations add detail to the monster's fantastical world; rich purples and greens throughout the book convey the warmth of the duo's interactions. A friend may disappear from your life, but the impact of that friendship remains.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

RELATED 

PRESCHOOL

The Farmer and the Circus
by Frazee, Marla
PRESCHOOL

Bird House
by Gómez, Blanca
PRESCHOOL

The Crow and the Peacock
by Fernihough, Jo
PRESCHOOL

Something's Wrong!
by John, Jory
PRESCHOOL

Grandpa Across the Ocean
by Yum, Hyewon
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?