Review by Booklist Review
The Guillains' heartwarming story about divorce and a blended family will be a welcome addition to picture books on that topic. Rhyming couplets convey the experience of a girl whose mom and dad have divorced. Understandably upset at the split, she spends quality time with both of her loving parents and appears, for the most part, accepting of their separate lives. "I say goodbye more often now, but when it's time to go, I know goodbye will only last until our next hello." Colorful artwork reveals the young girl picnicking with her mother, riding bikes with her father, and growing closer to her new stepfather and his two boys, who visit on weekends. The girl's bed is decorated with a string of photos picturing everyone in her blended family, plus her father's new kitten. Though the story includes a few realistically sad moments, the majority of the tale shows the positives that can come from being part of a blended family.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Lily-May's parents have separated, which brings complex emotions. Lily-May lives with Mom but still sees Dad regularly. Mom has a new partner named Peter, who has two boys of his own. These big changes make for a lot of feelings, including sadness, longing for the way things used to be, fear, excitement, and joy. Lily-May ultimately realizes that these changes are rewarding: They mean new playmates and grandparents, extra quality time with Mom and Dad, and a brand-new pet cat. This story is really about what comes after parents separate. Writing in first person, the Guillains make it clear that Lily-May isn't at fault for the separation and show both parents at big events. In the end, Lily-May comes away with an important lesson: Home is "anywhere I'm with my big fantastic family." Lily-May has dark bobbed hair and tan skin and is almost always accompanied by a beloved stuffed toy, Blue Bear. Mom has darker brown skin and straight dark hair; Dad has pale skin and curly dark hair, while Peter and his children are pale-skinned and red-haired. A sweet layout of snapshot photos shows Lily-May with various configurations of family members, a nice visual representation of this beautiful, blended family. An honest, encouraging story of a loving, evolving family. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
