Amanda Pig and Her Best Friend Lollipop (Easy-to-Read/Level 2)

Rating:
Summary: Amanda Pig and her best freind Lollipop
Review: Kindergartner Amanda and her new shy freind are featured in these four stories. Lolipop will only whisper at first while visiting Amanda- but overcomes this shyness in a humorous way. The freinds have fun visiting each others houses and comparing a little sister to a big brother among other things. This book is a favorite at our house.

Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2* When Pigs Play, An Easy-to-Read Book
Review: Little Amanda the pig invites her best friend Lollipop to her house for the first time in Van Leeuwen's fond depiction of the toddler scene. High on the cute-ometer, the stories draw on familiar 2-4 year old play and social situations including playing with dolls, being initially shy at a friend's house, swinging, eating treats, dealing with a boisterous boy, and teaching a baby to talk, all culminating in a sleepover at Lollipop's. Parents may feel a tinge of recognition at the interrupted sleepover, as Amanda calls home late at night after imagining a monster!

Most toddlers will identify with these little pigs, and parents and other readers will probably enjoy sharing the four related short chapters with small fry. The book nicely shows the value of friendship. These two piglets really like each other and are exposed to new things through playing together. Although, there's nothing groundbreaking or especially inventive about the book, but it's a pleasant enough story with small soothing pictures. A Dial "Easy-to-Read Book", rated at grade level 1.8, "Amanda" is 48 pages long with a picture on each page. A good book for the beginning reader!