At Isaac’s first sleepover, he gets to help Grandpop with a very special routine―putting the house to bed―in a story that’s just right for children visiting a new place, or for adopting a new ritual a
Rica’s very best friend is moving away. How can she convince her parents to let her get a pet so she won’t be lonely? Friendship and family shine in this engaging young chapter book.Rica Baptista wants―no, needs―a pet. A llama, a kinkajou, or maybe an iguana? She even has a name picked out: Frederica, her own name, after her Cape Verdean great-great-grandfather. But Rica’s parents say no almost faster than their mouths can open. The worst part is that Rica can’t tell anyone the real reason she wants a pet, because she’s not supposed to know―she overheard that her best friend, Laini, is moving away, and Rica worries about being left behind. Rica and Laini make lists of the benefits of having a pet to convince Rica’s parents, and they try all sorts of schemes to raise money to afford one, from party planning to holding a yard sale to entering a poetry contest. But in the end, it might be an act of unselfish kindness and courage that shows that Rica is ready to take on the pet of her drea
At Isaac's first sleepover, he gets to help Grandpop with a very special routine - putting the house to bed - in a story that's just right for children visiting a new place, or for adopting a new ritual at home. Isaac is excited about having a sleepover at Grandpop's house, but he's a little nervous about being away from home for the first time. Luckily, his knowing Grandpop tells him it's not quite time to go to bed yet - first, he needs Isaac's help in putting the house to bed.Quietly and slowly, they move from room to room, turning out lights and pulling down shades, as Grandpop gently explains the night-time sounds that Isaac finds unfamiliar. Now it's time to read the house a bedtime story (Isaac is good at reading the pictures). By the time the house is settled in for the night, Isaac and Grandpop are ready for bed, too.Janet Costa Bates's tender story and A. G. Ford's cosy illustrations will have families - and extended families or friends - eager to take a wise Grandpop's cue
