Pick Me!

Written by Annika Dunklee

Illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

Bread & Butter Books

978-1-0689189-0-2

32 pp.

Ages 3-8

October 2024

 

Annie, Lillemor and Lilianne are good friends who do everything together. But what happens when they can't?

From Pick Me!, written by Annika Dunklee, illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

The three friends who first shared a story in Annika Dunklee and Lori Joy Smith's Me, Too! and then in its sequel Me, Me, Me, continue to bond over their shared interests and spend all their time together. Especially cute is their teaching each other their own language as Lilianne speaks French, Lillemor speaks Swedish, and Annie speaks her imaginative language of Oinky Boinky. But on a field trip to the museum, their teacher insists that Lillemor pick only one girl with whom to partner. This becomes an onerous task as she attempts three different ways to choose. Finally the teacher chooses, and Annie is left to partner with Meilin. 

From Pick Me!, written by Annika Dunklee, illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

Annie is less than gracious about being with her new partner, leaving her behind and repeatedly returning to her two friends. But she soon learns that Meilin too had another partner in mind and was equally upset with being paired with Annie. Now it's up to Annie to try to make a connection with Meilin and through a couple of ice breakers, the two become fast friends too.

From Pick Me!, written by Annika Dunklee, illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

Annika Dunklee certainly gets into the heads of little girls for whom friends can be the most important thing in their lives. In each book in this series, the girls are challenged with making friends, staying friends, and dealing with friends. Having a friend offers stability but when you can't be with your friends of choice–and this will always happen at school in group work and partnering up for games and activities–it can be monumental. It's not surprising that Annie would disregard her teacher's instructions and do what she chooses just to feel the security of her established friends. Her annoyance is palpable. But her friendships have given her the skills to be friendly to others, when she chooses to, and to make new friends. Pick Me! are words that reverberate in many schools every day but, with strategies to make decisions and choices as well as approaches to connecting with new people, Annika Dunklee's story also becomes a resource for navigating friendships, particularly at school.

From Pick Me!, written by Annika Dunklee, illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

PEI's Lori Joy Smith brings the joy of friendship to life in her bright illustrations. There is a simplicity to her art, focusing on the kids and their expressions of satisfaction and their connection, but also in their distress and frustration, all the emotions that come with becoming, being and holding onto friends. Annika Dunklee has made her characters diverse in their languages, but Lori Joy Smith has made them real in the diversity of their backgrounds, physical features, personalities and more. She's made their story one that is universal for all friends.

For a great kindergarten lesson, or for kids in Grades 1-2 who still need help in making and keeping friends, Annika Dunklee and Lori Joy Smith's trio of books featuring Annie, Lillemor and Lilianne will be invaluable. Moreover, Pick Me!, like the earlier two books, will offer young children a different perspective on friendships that they might find difficult to understand. When they're very young, it's difficult to see that others are may be struggling too. For Annie to realize that Meilin was also disappointed in not being with her friends was a big step to making a new friend and seeing beyond herself and ultimately getting something that made her happy: a new friend.

 

• • • • • • •

 Me, Too! (2015)

Me, Me, Me (2017)

Pick Me! (2024)

Me, Me, Me

Written by Annika Dunklee

Illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

Kids Can Press

978-1-77138-660-9

32 pp.

Ages 4-7

September 5, 2017

Yep, it's all about her.  Annie, friend of Lillemor and Lilianne, and the girl in charge.  Or so she thinks, putting herself in control of all decisions relating to a talent show in which the three friends hope to enter as an all-girl singing group.  Sadly, every idea Lillemor and Lilianne bring up at their picnic meeting is vetoed by Annie.  Though the three seem to appreciate the different aspects each girl brings including the languages they speak and the treats they bring, when it comes to their orders of business, Annie decides all "because this whole thing was my idea."  Lillemor and Lilianne may comply but reluctantly.  It isn't till Annie has decided on the song they will sing, the outfits they will wear, the singing role each will play and the name of the group–Mi Mi Mis– that Lillemor and Lilianne speak up.

From Me, Me, Me 

from Annika Dunklee 

illus. by Lori Joy Smith

At first Annie is fine about being a solo act. But she decides something is missing and invites Penny and Ella to join her.  Unfortunately, the two girls give Annie a taste of what she gave her friends.  They decide on the costumes and the name, and relegate Annie, to her dismay, to background dancer.  Annie realizes her mistake and apologizes to Lillemor and Lilianne, promising to listen to their ideas.  A new meeting is held with the same orders of business but with very different outcomes that lead to a winning act.

Annika Dunklee, who wrote the award-winning My Name is Elizabeth (Kids Can Press, 2011), tells a simple story of getting along with friends for the success of all.  By making the girls different in languages spoken–Swedish, French and one Annie creates herself–and in delicious treats shared at their picnic, Annika Dunklee is able to emphasize that differences do not preclude children from coming together.  In fact, these differences make the combination of friends so much richer.

Lori Joy Smith, a PEI illustrator whose name most definitely will be added to an update of youngCanLit Who's Who of illustrators, adds the vivacity of youth to Me, Me, Me, making it like a literary cupcake in colour and tone.  Like Annika Dunklee's text which is never heavy-handed with embedding diversity, Lori Joy Smith makes sure to highlight the differences in the girls' hair, skin and dress while still blending their similarities through expression and friendship.

From Me, Me, Me 

by Annika Dunklee 

illus. by Lori Joy Smith

Character ed is pedagogical programming whereby children develop positive character values like cooperation and responsibility.  Though not planned as a pun on words, I believe book characters can be used to educate readers about situations that would require the establishment of such positive characteristics, perhaps by witnessing circumstances in which they are lacking.  Me, Me, Me as the name implies tells the story of a self-centred child who needs to see the value of cooperation and listening in order to succeed.  As teachers, we know that whether children are 4, 9 or 15, there will be conflicts between friends and they are conflicts that may seem like the end of the world.  Me, Me Me demonstrates that that end may only be a temporary one if the Me, Me, Me becomes Us, Us, Us.