April & Mae and the Sleepover

Mae arrives at April’s house for a sleepover in the Friday book of the Every Day with April & Mae series. April, who has brown skin, looks forward to sleeping outside in a tent. Her best friend, Mae, who has pale skin, isn’t so sure about the plan. Their pets—April’s dog and Mae’s cat—join them for the sleepover, adding a cute, if somewhat implausible, element to the endeavor. Simple sentence structures with one- and two-syllable words make this story accessible to emerging readers ready for slightly longer stories with deeper content. Brightly colored illustrations provide textual clues and include many fun details, such as April’s sleeping bonnet and Mae’s eye mask. In this satisfying tale, the characters demonstrate the give and take of friendship. To make sure that Mae is comfortable, April brings out extra pillows and a blanket. Mae decides to get up early to prepare a delicious breakfast, even though she’s a night owl. With nary an adult in sight, the girls have successfully planned and enjoyed another weekly activity. Kids will take note! VERDICT Recommend to emerging readers looking for stories about friendship but not quite ready for early chapter books such as Annie Barrows’s Ivy & Bean or Karen English’s Nikki & Deja.

—School Library Journal