Review Detail

Ava Lin, Best Friend was delightfully humorous from start to finish. Ava Lin is about to start first grade and thoroughly exemplifies this age group. The illustrations added perfect touches to the story. I love the dress with four pockets having had my daughter go through the same phase. I have always wondered why a child beyond a toddler would put anything in their ear, but Ava's reasoning makes it all make sense now.
This book is a great read for emergent readers transitioning to early chapter books. The illustrations make for a great break in the words as well as contribute to the story with their graphic novel-style speech and thought bubbles and labels.
Beyond this book being for incoming first graders also wondering how to get that vaunted Best Friend Forever and identifying with Ava, there are the parents. This book is for you! I laughed so many times reading Ava’s innocent but so believably frustrating antics. She almost had her parents trapped into getting a pet using their own reasoning against them. How the mom is miffed at the father for buying her TWO lunchboxes and his bewildered, “she wouldn’t let them go” explanation. The trash that is really treasures in the pockets causing havoc in the wash. All of it, this book may be more enjoyable to the parents than even the intended age group. I can’t wait to read more about Ava Lin, my new favorite early chapter book character!