"Positive examples of parenting offer the children guidance as they learn important lessons in responsibility, forgiveness, and understanding, and a happy ending levels the playing field between 'good' and 'bad' kids through friendship and a home for Blue Daisy. Back matter features recipes connected to the story, and the note on poetry and prose easily ties the book to language arts lessons."-- Booklist "An easy-to-read, heartwarming lesson in trust-building."-- Kirkus Reviews "The book contains several scaffolds for readers just moving into longer works. Quatrains preview each of three sections, while a fourth serves as an epilogue and succinctly closes the novel. Sam's three-line stanzas provide a nice structure for the text, and sixteen full-page black-and-white illustrations present a visual representation of the characters and highlight main points in the story." -- The Horn Book "Alternating chapters in differing styles, poetry for Sam and prose for Katie, help to convey how each character communicates; Sam seems restrained alongside Katie's constant clip. Apologies offer weight in this slim volume by Frost ( Applesauce Weather ), and result in a more generous view of neighbors and a realization that even kind people can make mistakes.

"-- Publishers Weekly "the emotions and ethical notes ring true, and kids will find much food for thought here. Shepperson's friendly monochromatic line and watercolor art is sweet and homey, a tonal match to the text." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.