Gigi and Lulu's Gigantic Fight

Pamela Duncan Edwards is the author of many favorite picture books for children, such as Some Smug Slug; Livingstone Mouse; Barefoot: the Worrywarts; Roar! Clara Caterpillar; Wake-up Kisses; and Rosie's Roses, all illustrated by Henry Cole. She lives in Virginia.

PreSchool-Grade 1–Gigi and Lulu, a mouse and a piglet, are best friends. They wear matching clothes, take the same lunches to school, and are "like two peas in a pod." One day, when Gigi knocks over Lulu's house of blocks, they have a fight and refuse to make up. On Tuesday, their teacher announces "Twin Day"–when friends can dress alike and bring identical lunches–and Gigi and Lulu refuse to participate because they are too angry with one another. They arrive at school on the designated day and are surprised to find how much their preferences differ. They don't have the same favorite outfit or food. They do, however, have the same favorite "green sneakers with spotted yellow laces." In the end, they decide that it's OK for friends to like different things as long as they have some things in common. Although this tale has an important theme, maintaining individuality within best friendship, the fight seems a bit trumped up so that the author can make her point rather than a logical part of the story. Cole's vivid and often humorous watercolor illustrations depict a likable cast of animals engaged in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. The characters' expressive faces clearly convey a wide range of emotions. Despite the inconsistency of the gigantic fight with the rest of the story, this is an appealing book about friendship.–Kelley Rae Unger, Peabody Institute, MA
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