April & Mae and the Tea Party
Megan Dowd Lambert, author
Megan Dowd Lambert is the author of A Kid of Their Own, A Crow of His Own, Real Sisters Pretend, and Reading Picture Books with Children. Her experiences as a white mother of seven children in a blended, multiracial, queer, adoptive family inform her work as an author, reviewer, and educator. A former children's literature instructor at Simmons University, Megan reviews and writes for Kirkus and Horn Book; is a consultant with EmbraceRace, a community focused on race and kids; and serves on the curation team of Our Shelves, a subscription box service that features racially diverse, LGBTQ+, and feminist characters and families.
Read more about Megan.
Briana Dengoue, illustrator
Briana Dengoue is a Philadelphia-born-and-based illustrator and graphic designer. She holds a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and is a firm believer in the fact that representation matters. She is always hoping that her work reaches someone who may look like her and see the world like her.
Read more about Briana.
- A New York Public Library Best Book of 2022
The Horn Book
This early-reader series follows best friends April and Mae through the week. In this first entry, short, repetitive sentences geared toward emerging readers tell the story of a tea party gone wrong when a juggling routine leads to a broken teacup and an argument. Digital illustrations showing the friends and their pets range from vignettes to double-page spreads. Also available: April & Mae and the Book Club Cake; April & Mae and the Soccer Match; April & Mae and the Talent Show.
Children's Literature
Friendship is worthy of celebration every day of the week, as this heartwarming book demonstrates. The first in a series of books for each day of the week, it introduces best friends April and Mae, chronicling their routine of having a tea party on Sundays. Despite their differences, the pals find common ground, each contributing their special talents to the tea parties they enjoy, as Mae decorates and bakes, while April performs songs and dances. On one such day, the cheerful occasion is interrupted when April incorporates a new magic show into her performance. An errant ball from her juggling act knocks Mae’s favorite teacup to the floor, smashing it to pieces. Although this accident leads to an argument between April and Mae that threatens to sever their bond, the two learn to work through their hurt feelings, making thoughtful amends to restore their friendship. Dowd teaches positive social skills by describing the step-by-step process April and Mae take to acknowledge their emotions and heal the rift between them. For children learning to adapt to change, this book offers a reassuring message about how to successfully manage breaks in routine. In addition to being helpful for teachers seeking to promote socioemotional development in early childhood classrooms, this book will appeal to children with its warm, festive full-color illustrations and action-driven plot. Its short sentences, simple language, and onomatopoeia makes it an accessible and engaging easy reader. Embracing unity in diversity and guiding children in problem-solving, it is an endearing, joyous book to encourage kindness and forgiveness in young students.
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-886-7
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-62354-410-2
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-750-3
Ages: 5-8
Page count: 48
6 x 9