Slumber Under the Stars

PreS-Gr 2—This is an adorable story about a girl, her dog, and the bond between them. Penny has so much to do when she receives an invitation to a slumber party at the recreation center. She begins to make a list of the items to bring with her—a sleeping bag, pajamas, a pillow, and her dog, Jelly. All is well until she finds out that pets are not allowed. Luckily, Penny is a resourceful little girl. If she can't take the real Jelly with her, then perhaps she can make a pretend one. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as she thinks, and it takes more than one try. Penny finds a variety of materials to create the perfect pretend Jelly. She uses paper, yarn, cotton, vegetables, and even jelly! Although her numerous attempts resemble her dog, Penny starts to realize that none of her creations can ever be as good as the real Jelly. What can she do? How could she have a good time at the slumber party without her best friend? The sweet ending to this book will satisfy children. The soft watercolor and ink illustrations are charming and provide young listeners with excellent visual images. The drawings depict Jelly's interest in, amazement at, and even dislike of some of the prototypes.