Review by Booklist Review
Notes of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham flavor the fun in this romp. Agnes, a new girl in school, invites a few girls to a tea party. Each invitation asks that the girl brings a plus-one. One invite blows away and is picked up by Dave. Dave arrives before anyone else, but Agnes closes the door on him, since he doesn't have a plus-one. Dave returns with a plus-one--a goose. Too noisy, says Agnes. Then, in quick succession, Dave returns with a cactus, a lizard, a snake, and then his mom. Agnes rejects all of them. No one else shows up. Agnes, alone inside, sees Dave and all his creatures and his mom, running around the yard, having fun, so she joins them. The girls invited to the tea party finally arrive, and Agnes invites them and Dave and his motley crew inside, too. The story is engaging, as are the warmly colored, comical illustrations, hand-painted in acrylic on hardboard. A good embedded lesson on the rewards of being inclusive.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
New in town and eager to make friends, Agnes, portrayed with tan skin, invites several girls from school and their plus-ones to a "fancy tea party." An invitation also ends up in the hands of neighbor Dave, who shows up ready to party, wearing heavy black boots and a striped tie over a sleeveless t-shirt. Even before Agnes deems this uninvited guest a "strange kid," and dismisses Dave for lacking a plus-one, readers may sense that Dave is something of a social outlier--digitally finished slice-of-life acrylic paintings show the pale-skinned child standing solo outside the kids' school and snagging an invite that falls to the sidewalk. But Dave is also persistent, reappearing with a succession of unusual plus-ones, including a gregarious goose named "Pierre of the North, Esquire," and, touchingly, "my mom" ("She gives great hugs, makes amazing French toast, and will let me win at tag"). With none of the intended guests in sight, Agnes relents, discovering in the process that Dave and pals make good company. Hare (Field Trip to the Moon) proffers this tale of inclusion with a light touch, gently underscoring the message that it's good to be open to new friends. Ages 4--8. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Agnes has just moved to town and seeks friends, but in a reversal of the typical "new kid" trope, she becomes the one to issue rejection when the wrong kind of friend shows up to her fancy tea party. She has invited a group of girls and their "plus ones" (their favorite stuffed animals), but one of the invitations is intercepted by the boy next door, Dave. Though he is full of exuberant energy, Agnes turns him away, claiming he lacks the right kind of "plus one." Undaunted, he attempts to introduce a variety of exciting prospects, including a Canada goose, a legless lizard, adorable puppies, and his very own mom--but Agnes repeatedly rejects him. Though Agnes is the story's protagonist, sensitive readers are more likely to root for Dave, who comes across as lonely but kind, creative, and extraordinarily forgiving. Agnes eventually realizes her other invitees haven't shown up and decides to give Dave a chance. Bright, lively illustrations in digitally finished acrylic paint suit the gently humorous tone of the story, and Dave's increasingly zany overtures are sure to elicit giggles from young readers. Characters are depicted with a variety of skin tones and a diverse community. VERDICT Treading a fine line between slightly heartbreaking and sweetly funny, this story is sure to spark discussions about kindness and inclusion. A solid purchase for picture book collections, and a strong choice for story hours about friendship and empathy.--Allison Tran
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A girl throws a tea party and ends up with more guests than she expected. New in town, Agnes sets out to make friends by inviting some girls from her class to a tea party. She stipulates on the invitation that everyone should bring a "plus one." After Agnes accidentally drops one of the invitations on the ground at school, a kid named Dave picks it up. When no one except Dave shows up to her house, Agnes turns him away with the excuse that he didn't bring a plus one; in reality, she doesn't want "this strange kid" at her party. Undeterred, Dave gets creative and cheerfully knocks on the door multiple times with a lineup of different "plus ones," including a goose, a snake, and even his own mother. Each time, Agnes rejects Dave and his guests for different reasons, but eventually she realizes that she's alone at her own party. Agnes observes Dave having fun with his "unusual group of friends" outside and asks to join them. But then, Agnes' guests show up. Will she ditch Dave? No! Agnes invites the entire group (including the goose) inside for tea. Hare's vibrant illustrations complement this sweet and silly story that makes clear that sometimes we can find friends in unexpected places. His wide-eyed, expressive, cartoonish characters effectively convey a range of emotions--from frustration to excitement--with humor. Agnes is tan-skinned, Dave is light-skinned, and the (human) party guests are racially diverse. A fun reminder to be open to friendship. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
