Raymond and Nelda [Hardcover]

Barbara Bottner (Author), Nancy Hayashi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Laugh-out-loud letters enhance this endearingly quirky story about repairing a friendship.
Raymond and Nelda are the best of friends. They make up funny songs and share chocolate-covered strawberries. They like to play ball and they always laugh at each other's jokes. But one day, Nelda twirls for Raymond and falls down. Raymond laughs at her. "Some friend!" says Nelda. Now the two aren't speaking. But life isn't nearly as much fun without a best friend to share it with. It's up to Florence the mail lady to deliver some important letters that might just help Nelda and Raymond make up and be best friends once again.
Author Barbara Bottner's quirky story of a friendship that gets off track will resonate with readers as they negotiate the highs and lows of their own relationships. Nancy Hayashi's illustrations colorfully capture the appeal of the characters and the charm of the story.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Following in the great tradition of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad, this story is about two animal friends who quarrel and are miserable until they make up. In Hayashi's clear watercolor, pen, and colored-pencil illustrations, the plump, awkward characters wear clothes and act like children, their body language as expressive of their anger and longing as their words. Underlying the fight is their bond ("Raymond and Nelda understood each other so well that sometimes they didn't need to say anything"), but the standoff is the drama: Raymond laughs at Nelda when she twirls and falls, so she tosses his ball into the water. Then they are lonely. The mail carrier helps them, but, at first, the notes they write just add more misunderstanding. When they finally make up, however, they are closer than ever. The intense feelings are elemental, and the scenarios are part of every preschooler's world. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Bottner's story of a friendship that has hit a snag...is a healthy dose of sincerity, pure and simple...the story, along with art by Hayashi, gives an easy grasp of both sides of the misunderstanding, and provides a way out for any reader in the same fix." --Kirkus Reviews
"In Hayashi's clear watercolor, pen, and colored-pencil illustrations, the plump, awkward characters wear clothes and act like children, their body language as expressive of their anger and longing as their words...The intense feelings are elemental, and the scenarios are part of every preschooler's world." --Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (March 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561453943
• ISBN-13: 978-1561453948
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,318,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Bottner began writing for children in the 1970's, when she broke her leg doing off-Broadway Theater and decided to consider a different career. Having gotten a degree in painting, she began to hang out in the children's book section of libraries and bookstores. She was amazed at the originality of the art and fell in love with picture books. Slightly fickle, she also wrote I Can Reads, eventually middle grade and YA novels. She stretched out into writing for television and film and also published essays and short stories in national magazines. She returned to writing books for children and Bootsie Barker Bites, illustrated by Peggy Rathmann, a classic, was translated into eight languages and animated for television. Barbara prevailed upon her MD husband, Gerald Kruglik, to co-write Wallace's Lists, illustrated by Olof Landstrom, which was also animated, (Weston Woods) is translated into Swedish and is forthcoming in French.
Barbara collaborated with Michael Emberley, resulting in Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don't). Anyone who's ever struggled with falling in love with reading, or is the parent or teacher of a picky reader will rejoice in the way Miss Brooks handles a curmudgeon of a first grader. Miss Brooks Loves Books has appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List and is nominated for the prestigious Bill Martin Jr. Award. Barbara teaches writing and consults with writers all over the country; she was honored to receive the New School Distinguished Teaching Award in 1990.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book about friendship!, July 21, 2007

By 

A Boca Mom (Boca Raton, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Raymond and Nelda (Hardcover)

My son and I enjoyed reading this book. It shares the story of friendship and how easily friends can hurt each other, and make up. As we can get stuck in our anger, this book reminds us that forgiveness and apologies are not as difficult as they seem. "Raymond and Nelda" gave us lots to talk about!