Review Detail

“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: A Gift From Daniel,” by Maria Le, with poses and layouts by Jason Fruchter, starts off with Daniel and Miss Elaina playing together. Soon, Miss Elaina gives Daniel a toy robot as a present. This makes Daniel very happy, but he also doesn’t know quite what to do since he wants to give Miss Elaina a gift in return and doesn’t know what is the best option. When his mom lets him know that he could make something instead of finding something he already has, he jumps at the idea. Paper and crayons go a long way as Daniel makes a special present for Miss Elaina and soon brings it to her. As they start playing together again, Daniel lets readers know how special homemade gifts can be, encouraging readers to try it out for themselves.

The story is short and sweet and perfect for young readers just starting out. It showcases the themes of friendship, giving, kindness, and creativity. Daniel and Miss Elaina are a great example of two friends who just want to make each other happy and sometimes go out of their way to make that happen.