El hormiguero

August 23, 2024

K-Gr 2-When Maya and Olivia meet in the schoolyard, their friendship develops easily, albeit over ants. Maya shares fascinating facts about ants with Olivia, and from there, they share inside jokes, play during recess, and jump like kangaroos. Suddenly, Maya begins to spend time with other girls at school and ignores Olivia. One day, while distracted, Olivia trips in front of her schoolmates, who all laugh, including Maya, making Olivia feel small as an ant. Along comes Oscar, who offers a hand to help her stand, his empathy (he too is clumsy and trips often), and his friendship. The charming digital illustrations include sight gags, such as Olivia and Oscar as ants, and a teacher wearing crocodile shoes that will elicit plenty of giggles. The frank discussion of feelings-from the joy of new friendship to the deep sadness of losing it-is relayed sincerely through the text and enhanced by the visual metaphors. A brief note from the author concludes with a memory of a similar school experience. VERDICT A relatable and useful discussion tool for navigating friendship ups and downs, especially during back-to-school season. Recommended.-Jessica Agudelo

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