The Almost Terrible Playdate - Richard Torrey

1. Dueling Imaginations: I love how this story perfectly captures the way two kids interact when trying to decide what to play.

2. Illustrations: Both, the real-time illustrations and the imagination illustrations, are the real stars of this book and bring the story to life.

3. Personality: The personality of each main character really shines through when they use their imagination (and when they react to the other person's imagination) and it is the uniqueness of each that moves this story forward.

4. Circular Ending: With only a slight illustration change, this circular ending leaves the reader free to imagine what happens next.

5. The Conflict: Siblings and friends alike have all encountered the dreaded playdate stand-off, making this book easy to relate to for kids and the adults who usually have to intervene.

Parents: This story is a great way to show how compromise doesn't mean you have to give in completely. But when you meet in the middle, everyone is happier.

Teachers: Great book for morning meeting to talk about compromise and what it looks like- perhaps you'd like to pick a morning when you know you'll be facing the dreaded indoor recess and all the drama that can come with it! Also, a great book for reader's theater and characterization study.

Writers: Circular endings, voice, strong characters

---