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Reviewed by:
  • What James Said by Liz Rosenberg
  • Hope Morrison
Rosenberg, Liz What James Said; illus. by Matt Myers. Porter/Roaring Brook, 2015 32p
ISBN 978-1-59643-908-5 $16.99 R 5-8 yrs

As a result of a multi-kid rumor chain, the young narrator’s feelings are hurt, and she isn’t speaking to her best friend, James. She works herself into a defensive lather, noting all the ways she knows she isn’t perfect (“I am not the best speller or the best at math”); she then describes how James has reached out, trying to figure out what is bothering her (“I’m not sure he knows we are in a fight”), and how she continues to ignore him. At the school art show, he says he’s been telling everyone that he thinks her painting is perfect, and the protagonist realizes the miscommunication that has occurred. This useful and thoughtfully presented story about rumors and the fragility of faith in one’s friend deftly handles the emotional range of the situation, from initial anger and sadness to the security and joy the girl feels at having her best friend back in her life. The first-person narration lends immediacy to the emotions that will resonate with listeners, and the differing personalities of the twosome make for an interesting friendship dynamic (she is shy and quiet whereas he is a bit of a class clown). Myers’ watercolor and pen illustrations effectively capture the contrast between the friends: the girl is slight, with withdrawn body language that reflects her sadness, whereas James is a bespectacled dark-skinned boy given to big smiles and big gestures. Teachers will want to have this one readily on hand for class discussion about the problems of rumors—and of believing them. [End Page 49]

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