I Love You, Blue Kangaroo!
In this warmhearted story of a faithful toy, a girl acquires a menagerie of stuffed animals but declares the first her favorite. Blue Kangaroo, who belongs to Lily, is an aquamarine-hued plaything with a faint smile on his long, pointy face. "Every night, Lily said, 'I love you, Blue Kangaroo!' And Blue Kangaroo fell fast asleep in Lily's arms." This special, one-to-one relationship changes when family and friends begin to bring gifts for Lily, including Wild Brown Bear and Yellow Cotton Rabbit. Lily's good-night list expands to include each arrival, but readers will notice that Lily subtly distinguishes her blue pal from the rest. Even though he still hears the title phrase, Blue Kangaroo worries that he's been replaced. Clark (Little Miss Muffet's Count-Along Surprise) uses authoritative colored-pencil outlines and summertime-bright watercolors to evoke sympathy for the kangaroo in busy family scenes. As Lily cuddles her presents (none of which displays her kangaroo's attentiveness), her baby brother grabs for the lonely toy. In the end, though, Lily would rather donate all her other toys to her brother than part with Blue Kangaroo. Clark considers jealousy from several angles, exploring Blue Kangaroo's feelings and Lily's possessiveness. The reassuring message is that newcomers don't have to displace best friends, but sometimes even buddies need to be reminded that they matter. Ages 4-8.Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.