The Almost Terrible Playdate

“A delightful look at the importance of compromise among friends.”—Kirkus

Ideal for all families who have ever heard (or said!) the words “Why can’t you both JUST GET ALONG?!”, here is the story of two young children with VERY different ideas of what they want to play. What starts with an innocent question (“What do you want to play?”) soon veers hilariously toward chaos, as two children engage in the age-old struggle of princesses, ponies, and ballet vs. dinosaurs, dragons, and race cars. Which child will win? Or will both find a way to play nicely together?
 
In a humorous mock–epic battle staged with crayon illustrations of each child’s increasingly steadfast and elaborate ideas of what they want to play, Richard Torrey taps into the charged and volatile emotions of childhood, which every parent and child will recognize with a smile. It’s a lighthearted and funny way to reflect on the ideas of sharing, cooperation, patience, and generosity.

“A clever story of dueling imaginations.”—School Library Journal

“A playful and accessible introduction to cooperation.”—Booklist  

“Friendship, it seems, like make-believe, takes an act of imagination.”—The New York Times

RICHARD TORREY grew up in a family of boys—with two brothers, two half brothers, and two stepbrothers—where entire weekends could be occupied by a couple of cardboard boxes, a few crayons, and a lot of imagination. As a brother, and later as a father of two, he learned that compromise is a big part of successful play, as the two children in The Almost Terrible Playdate soon find out. He is the author-illustrator of three Beans Baker books in the Step into Reading line, in addition to numerous other books for children. He lives in Shoreham, New York.