Be Good to Eddie Lee (Paperback)

by Virginia Fleming (Author) "Christy glided back and forth in the porch swing, letting her legs dangle..." (more)
Key Phrases: frog eggs, Eddie Lee

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this touching picture book, a girl discovers a new capacity for friendship when she spends some time with a neighbor boy who has Down's Syndrome. Christy's mother has told her to "be good to Eddie Lee," because he is "lonesome" and "different." Christy, however, would rather go wading with her friend JimBud than be pestered by Eddie Lee. But when Eddie Lee, uninvited, follows the two kids, Christy reluctantly includes her neighbor and is pleasantly surprised at how the afternoon turns out. Fleming's story accurately captures the attitudes and behavior children often adopt when it comes to tolerating peers who are different. Her characters ring true without being stereotypes and her message about acceptance and friendship is poignant, not heavy-handed. Shimmering with summer sunlight, Cooper's oil washes depict a lush and pastoral setting. Sensitive portraits of all three children provide a depth of emotion that supplements the spare, perceptive text. Eddie Lee's facial features clearly identify his mental and physical challenges, but his portrayal remains positive, realistic and non-threatening. This successful collaboration is a rarity for its potential to entertain, educate and encourage deeper consideration for others. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-On the first day of summer vacation, Christy follows her friend JimBud to a nearby pond, looking for something to do. When Eddie Lee, a child with Down's syndrome, follows them, Christy tells him to stay home, and JimBud tries to chase him away. Only when Eddie Lee leads the girl to a hidden place to show her frog eggs and water lillies does she fully grasp that everyone is special and has unique, individual gifts. Cooper's attractive, full-page borderless scenes of the rural South- waist-high, straw-colored weeds; a clear, rippling stone-bottomed brook; hazy green woods and water-are painted in oil wash, but have the smudgy appearance of oil pastel. Clearly the focus of the illustrations is the insightfully realistic portraits of Eddie Lee, and it is Cooper's artful accompaniment to the text that truly brings out the author's positive message. Berniece Rabe's Where's Chimpy? (Albert Whitman, 1988) is aimed at three to five-year-olds, as is Cairo Jasmine's Our Brother Has Down's Syndrome (Annick, 1985). Be Good to Eddie Lee is welcome for slightly older children, but mostly for the realism it exudes rather than the somewhat contrived story.
Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0698115821
• ISBN-13: 978-0698115828
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #194,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Positive Review For This Book, March 21, 2006

By	Emily Allen "Books, movies, and music are all... (West Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Be Good to Eddie Lee (Hardcover)

I don't understand why people have negatively reviewed this book. We analyzed this book in my children's lit class, and this was found to be one of the more sensitive books for children with exceptionalities. Eddie is not treated like an infant, and he does not magically acquire friends. One can feel Christy is a good girl who listens to her mother, but succumbs to peer pressure from JimBud who is mean to Eddie. But she sees on her own that Eddie is a nice boy whom she can be friends with. It's a touching story, with an accurate portrayal of someone with a disability who is not a hero, martyr, or a stereotype. It shows an accurate plot of things a person with Down's Syndrome might experience.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gentle, atmospheric story with beautiful illustrations., January 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Be Good to Eddie Lee (Hardcover)

My children and I very much enjoyed this book. The descriptive writing beautifully depicts a summer day in the South. The story gently makes a point about a Downs Syndrome child and how other children view him and treat him, without cruelty or hitting the reader with a hammer. A lovely book to read and discuss with your child, with beautiful illustrations.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive read-aloud book, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Be Good to Eddie Lee (Hardcover)

We used this book as spring board for our 2nd grade class Quaker meeting focusing on kindness and times when we've found that what matters is what's in the heart, not on the outside. All of us-- kids and teachers-- were moved to tears and the kids' responses were incredible. Well done book. Lots of applications. Luminous illustrations.