Sophie Sleeps Over by Marisabina Russo (review)

Young bunny Sophie is excited to spend the night at her BFF Olive’s house, but she is shocked to find an unknown bunny answering Olive’s door: “‘I’m Penelope,’ said the bunny. ‘I’m Olive’s best friend.’ ‘No, I’m her best friend,’ said Sophie, but all of a sudden she wasn’t so sure.” Unlike Olive, neither Penelope nor Sophie think it’s possible to have two best friends, and the evening is up and down for Sophie as Olive takes alternate sides over such things as favorite cupcake flavors and the fairness of a party game. When bedtime comes, Sophie can’t sleep, but neither can Penelope, and the two bunnies discover some common ground, deciding that the concept of multiple best friends might have merit after all before finally settling down to slumber. Plenty of primary-graders will sympathize with Sophie’s unease with both her friendship status with Olive and with spending the night away from home. Russo treats her subject with respect and emotional authenticity as Sophie wavers between enjoying herself and wanting to go home, and while the ending is a tad convenient, the reconciliation provides a possible model for nervous youngsters. The colorful patterns and warm tones of the gouache illustrations provide a cozy feeling of security that helps mitigate the anxiety of Sophie’s situation, and the bunnies themselves are pretty darn adorable; light brown Sophie, with her gentle expression, ever-present tiara, and slightly floppy ears is particularly winning. This might be a useful introduction to sleepovers for first-timers, or a helpful springboard for discussions about friendship struggles.