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The Adventures of Sugar and Juniorby Angela Shelf Medearis Ages 4-8 |
Gr. 2^-3, younger for reading aloud. This chapter^-picture book about the interracial friendship between Junior Ramirez and Sugar Johnson has a simple style, repetition, and plenty of dialogue. In the first chapter, African American Sugar tells the amusing tale of how she got her unusual name ("Sugar is not my nickname" ). The watercolor-and-colored-pencil drawings set against crisp, white space show the two new pals in perpetual motion. The remaining vignettes feature a cookie recipe gone bad, a scary monster movie, and the dilemma of choosing ice cream. While there's some predictability here, Medearis has done a fine, understated job of showing what it means to be a friend. — Booklist (Julie Corsaro)
Simply told chapters recount episodes in the friendship of a Latino boy and African-American girl who live in the same apartment building. The lively watercolors reflect the gentle humor and warmth as the pair bake rocklike cookies, see a monster movie, and take turns waiting for each other to pick a flavor at the ice cream stand. — Horn Book