Peanut and Fifi Have a Ball

PreS-K—Peanut is delighted with her new, bright-blue ball. Her older sister wants to play with it too, but Peanut refuses to share her special toy. Undaunted, imaginative Fifi tries a variety of strategies to get it from her sister. She proposes some enticing pretend games. "Where is my crystal ball?" she asks and then suggests, "It's bread dough and we're bakers." Finally, Fifi returns with a seal that can do tricks with the ball. Peanut agrees to share it, but Fifi is off on another fantastic adventure, imagining that she and the seal are flying through space. After a moment, Peanut picks up her ball and chases after her sister, calling out, "Hey Fifi, check out this cool planet." The digital artwork reinforces the playful tone of the story. The thick black outlines and geometric shapes featured in the simple but eye-catching illustrations have a childlike charm and capture the unique personality of each little girl. This story offers a gentle lesson about sharing, sibling dynamics, and the power of imagination. Pair it with But Excuse Me That Is My Book (Dial, 2005) or another title in Lauren Child's "Charlie and Lola" series.—Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA