Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse - Softcover

Kevin Henkes

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0340714654 ISBN 13: 9780340714652

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books, 1998

Synopsis

Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized possessions. Lilly's fury leads to revenge and then to remorse and she sets out to make amends.

Lilly, the star of Chester's Way and Julius, the Baby of the World, is back. And this time she has her name in the title - something she's wanted all along. If you thought Lilly was funny before, you are in for a treat. So hurry up and start reading. Lilly can't wait for you to find out more about her.

About this title

Review:

The irrepressible mouse heroine of Chester's Way and Julius, the Baby of the World returns for another true-to-life and very funny episode. Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, Mr. Slinger--until he takes away her musical purse because she can't stop playing with it in class. Lilly decides to get revenge with a nasty drawing of "Big Fat Mean Mr. Stealing Teacher!" but when she finds the kind note he put in her purse, she's filled with remorse and has to find a way to make things right again. Children will sympathize with Lilly's impulsive mistake and laugh uproariously at the witty and expressive pictures of the very human mice. In a starred review, Publisher's Weekly called this book "sympathetic and wise." (Ages 4 to 8)

From Booklist:

Ages 3^-5. Oh, Lilly. You sure are lookin' good--and don't you know it. Lilly, the delightful mouse-girl featured in Julius, the Baby of the World (1990), has started school, and she loves everything about it, from the squeaky chalk to the fish sticks in the lunchroom on Friday. Most of all, she loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger, who wears hip clothes and greets Lilly's artistic achievements with an impressed, "Wow!" So it's only natural that when Lilly gets flashy sunglasses and a brand new purple purse, she can't wait to show them off to her classmates and teacher. Mr. Slinger has other ideas; he would like Lilly to wait until sharing time. Alas, that isn't possible, and soon Lilly's new accoutrements are sitting in Mr. Slinger's desk drawer--and Lilly is furious with her teacher. As usual, Henkes gets it all just right: Lilly's pure delight in school, her adoration of Mr. Slinger, and her fury at his betrayal. What child won't identify with Lilly's urge to get back at Mr. Slinger with a nasty picture and mean words--and with her longing to make it right again when he sends her home with a treat and a note that says tomorrow will be a better day? All the bustling, inventive artwork is a pleasure to look at, but a particular joy is Henkes' ability to define Lilly and her mood with just a few deft pen strokes. A simple curved mouth line shows a range of emotions--anger, disappointment, hurt. The whole book, art and text, is lovingly layered to express the mixed emotions that all of us experience. That Henkes is able to bring this perplexity--and its sometimes sweet solutions--to a child's level is his gift. Ilene Cooper

About this edition

• Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0340714654
• ISBN 13: 9780340714652
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32