This is a great story about Gail, the protagonist, learning to share. As an exciting break in the pleasant, prose of most of the books I’ve been reading lately, this story has conflict between two children, a tantrum over not wanting to share, youthful sarcasm, an arc of growth on the part of the 1st person narrator and it is all told in accurate rhyme, the melody of which I am certain contributed to holding my daughter’s attention so intently that she only interrupted me with one question during the read. The protagonist who doesn’t want to share her toys with her visiting cousin and then decides to share disgusting cast-off items, does by the end of the story— after her mother speaks to her twice and models sharing for her—learn to share and the reader is the recipient of a surprising shared gift. After we finished the story my daughter did something she rarely does—she took the book from me and not only asked if she could sleep with it (that she does all the time), she began to “read” the story back to me, telling it as closely as she could from memory. Sharing is a skill that most, if not all small children resist, so coupled with an energetic, melodic story, the topic captivates the young child’s interest. This book is sure to be a hit with your little one.
Although this book does not mention the protagonist and her mommy being the only ones in the household, it covers a large span of time in the protagonist’s life in which we never see a second parent. The first time I read it, I also thought the protagonist was a Mixed Heritage child although upon second read I’m not sure but there are certainly mixed heritage children who will see themselves reflected in Gail’s physical features especially in contrast to her mother’s and her cousin’s phenotypes.

Recommendation: Highly recommended
Ages: 3+
Reviewer: Omilaju Miranda