Behind the book:
I remembered two very big girls in my elementary school classes who were always at the back of the line and often teased by other students. That is where the story began. I also remembered my own shyness in first grade. Like Amelia, I spent every recess pressed against the fence watching the other children play. And finally, I remembered stories my mother told me about how she hated being the smallest in her class. Once I had my characters, the story began to take shape.
Reviews:
“Like most of Russo’s work, this gets at the heart of the ordinary child experience with emotional truth and sensitivity.”
The Horn Book
“Russo’s vivid gouache illustrations are a lively counterpart to the text’s refreshingly real-life tone and spot-on dialogue and classroom situations. A rewarding title for discussions on fitting in, bullying, and accepting differences.”
Booklist
“Readers will fall for feisty Susannah’s innocent determination and relate to Amelia’s self-conscious hesitancy. This tale proves there’s room for one more opposites-attract book on the shelf.”
Kirkus
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