{"id":7914865656045,"title":"April \u0026 Mae and the Movie Night","handle":"april-mae-and-the-movie-night","description":"\u003ch6\u003ePaperback edition coming September 10, 2024. Pre-order today!\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eApril \u0026amp; Mae and the Movie Night\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Saturday Book\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/megan-dowd-lambert\"\u003eMegan Dowd Lambert\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/gisela-bohorquez\"\u003eGisela Bohórquez\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho's ready for a scary movie?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s Saturday, and April and Mae are having movie night. Mae gets pineapple on the pizza because April likes it, and April chooses a scary movie because Mae will like it. When the movie ends up being too scary for April, the girls realize that they don't have to like all the same things as long as they like each other!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith imagination and humor, Every Day with April \u0026amp; Mae brings all there is to know and love about friendship to life in a way kids can both relate to and learn from, making this a perfect fit for young readers ready to step up from picture books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/every-day-with-april-and-mae\"\u003eEvery Day with April \u0026amp; Mae\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-movie-night-spread.jpg?v=1660330883\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1660330883\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-movie-night-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1660330883\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-activity-kit.pdf?v=1664549105\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Activity Kit\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMegan Dowd Lambert, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eMegan Dowd Lambert\u003cspan\u003e is the author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Kid of Their Own\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Crow of His Own\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReal Sisters Pretend\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReading Picture Books with Children\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Her experiences as a white mother of seven children in a blended, multiracial, queer, adoptive family inform her work as an author, reviewer, and educator. A former children's literature instructor at Simmons University, Megan reviews and writes for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eHorn Book\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e; is a consultant with EmbraceRace, a community focused on race and kids; and serves on the curation team of Our Shelves, a subscription box service that features racially diverse, LGBTQ+, and feminist characters and families.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/megan-dowd-lambert\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Megan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGisela Bohórquez, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGisela Bohórquez fell in love with drawing when her parents gave her a huge box of crayons at three years old. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, she was always surrounded by her uncle Jairo’s amazing books and her father’s drawings. At school, she used to sell little stickers with animals she drew herself. Ever since, Gisela knew she wanted to be an artist and work with shapes and colors. She studied Graphic Design in college, where she learned digital illustration and fell in love with those techniques. She loves to put her whole heart in her work: according to her, that’s the secret to connecting people with her designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/gisela-bohorquez\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Gisela.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApril and Mae get together for Saturday movie night at April’s house. Even though they are best friends, they do not share the same likes and dislikes. Mae brings over pizza with pineapple and pepper toppings to accommodate both of their tastes. April selects a scary movie that she knows her friend will like. Simple sentence structures, with one- and two-syllable words, make this story accessible to emerging readers ready for slightly longer stories with deeper content. The brightly colored illustrations effectively convey the range of emotions felt by the girls over the course of the evening—from joy at seeing each other to concern about the movie’s content. Mae articulates the story’s central theme: “Friends do not have to like all the same things... Friends just have to like each other.” The characters’ actions reinforce the point, but the narrative fails to address the fact that being a friend sometimes means putting the needs of the other person before your own. After trying to watch Mae’s scary movie, a fearful April ends up spending part of the evening hiding under the kitchen table with Mae’s cat. This seems like a missed opportunity for Mae.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVERDICT The story helps children understand that best friends can have different interests, but it remains silent on the value of compromise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eChildren's Literature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApril and Mae are best friends. So are their cat and dog. Every day, they do an activity together. Saturdays are their movie nights. April brings pineapple to put on top of their pizza because she knows it's Mae's favorite. Mae chooses the movie, and tonight she picks a scary movie she knows April will like. Though the girls try, they don't always like the same things. How can they stay friends if they have different preferences? Bright illustrations walk young readers through a story about friendship, particularly how to navigate conflict and support each other even when one friend likes things the other isn't comfortable with, like scary movies. Simple sentences, humor, and vivid facial expressions make the story accessible to young readers transitioning from picture books toward chapter books. This is a great series for parents or caregivers who are helping early elementary students explore the emotional challenges of friendships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-264-1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-416-4\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 48\u003cbr\u003e6 x 9\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2022-08-29T13:56:44-04:00","created_at":"2022-08-29T13:52:01-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Fiction","Browse by Format_Chapter Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Diversity","Browse by Subject_Life Lessons \u0026 Skills","Browse by Subject_Story Time \u0026 Play"],"price":1299,"price_min":1299,"price_max":1299,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":43262238425325,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"42641","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":37750810837229,"product_id":7914865656045,"position":1,"created_at":"2022-08-29T13:54:39-04:00","updated_at":"2022-08-29T13:54:40-04:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":925,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680","variant_ids":[43262238425325,45359256305901]},"available":true,"name":"April \u0026 Mae and the Movie Night - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1299,"weight":369,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":8,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"9781623542641","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":30330251870445,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.649,"height":925,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]},{"id":45359256305901,"title":"Paperback","option1":"Paperback","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"44164","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":37750810837229,"product_id":7914865656045,"position":1,"created_at":"2022-08-29T13:54:39-04:00","updated_at":"2022-08-29T13:54:40-04:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":925,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680","variant_ids":[43262238425325,45359256305901]},"available":true,"name":"April \u0026 Mae and the Movie Night - Paperback","public_title":"Paperback","options":["Paperback"],"price":1299,"weight":369,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":0,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"9781623544164","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":30330251870445,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.649,"height":925,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":30330251870445,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.649,"height":925,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680"},"aspect_ratio":0.649,"height":925,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/cdn\/shop\/products\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1661795680","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003ch6\u003ePaperback edition coming September 10, 2024. Pre-order today!\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003eApril \u0026amp; Mae and the Movie Night\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Saturday Book\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/megan-dowd-lambert\"\u003eMegan Dowd Lambert\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/gisela-bohorquez\"\u003eGisela Bohórquez\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWho's ready for a scary movie?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s Saturday, and April and Mae are having movie night. Mae gets pineapple on the pizza because April likes it, and April chooses a scary movie because Mae will like it. When the movie ends up being too scary for April, the girls realize that they don't have to like all the same things as long as they like each other!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith imagination and humor, Every Day with April \u0026amp; Mae brings all there is to know and love about friendship to life in a way kids can both relate to and learn from, making this a perfect fit for young readers ready to step up from picture books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/every-day-with-april-and-mae\"\u003eEvery Day with April \u0026amp; Mae\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-movie-night-spread.jpg?v=1660330883\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-movie-night-cover.jpg?v=1660330883\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-movie-night-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1660330883\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/april-mae-activity-kit.pdf?v=1664549105\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Activity Kit\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMegan Dowd Lambert, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eMegan Dowd Lambert\u003cspan\u003e is the author of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Kid of Their Own\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Crow of His Own\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReal Sisters Pretend\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eReading Picture Books with Children\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Her experiences as a white mother of seven children in a blended, multiracial, queer, adoptive family inform her work as an author, reviewer, and educator. A former children's literature instructor at Simmons University, Megan reviews and writes for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eHorn Book\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e; is a consultant with EmbraceRace, a community focused on race and kids; and serves on the curation team of Our Shelves, a subscription box service that features racially diverse, LGBTQ+, and feminist characters and families.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/megan-dowd-lambert\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Megan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGisela Bohórquez, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGisela Bohórquez fell in love with drawing when her parents gave her a huge box of crayons at three years old. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, she was always surrounded by her uncle Jairo’s amazing books and her father’s drawings. At school, she used to sell little stickers with animals she drew herself. Ever since, Gisela knew she wanted to be an artist and work with shapes and colors. She studied Graphic Design in college, where she learned digital illustration and fell in love with those techniques. She loves to put her whole heart in her work: according to her, that’s the secret to connecting people with her designs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/gisela-bohorquez\"\u003eRead more\u003c\/a\u003e about Gisela.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApril and Mae get together for Saturday movie night at April’s house. Even though they are best friends, they do not share the same likes and dislikes. Mae brings over pizza with pineapple and pepper toppings to accommodate both of their tastes. April selects a scary movie that she knows her friend will like. Simple sentence structures, with one- and two-syllable words, make this story accessible to emerging readers ready for slightly longer stories with deeper content. The brightly colored illustrations effectively convey the range of emotions felt by the girls over the course of the evening—from joy at seeing each other to concern about the movie’s content. Mae articulates the story’s central theme: “Friends do not have to like all the same things... Friends just have to like each other.” The characters’ actions reinforce the point, but the narrative fails to address the fact that being a friend sometimes means putting the needs of the other person before your own. After trying to watch Mae’s scary movie, a fearful April ends up spending part of the evening hiding under the kitchen table with Mae’s cat. This seems like a missed opportunity for Mae.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVERDICT The story helps children understand that best friends can have different interests, but it remains silent on the value of compromise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eChildren's Literature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eApril and Mae are best friends. So are their cat and dog. Every day, they do an activity together. Saturdays are their movie nights. April brings pineapple to put on top of their pizza because she knows it's Mae's favorite. Mae chooses the movie, and tonight she picks a scary movie she knows April will like. Though the girls try, they don't always like the same things. How can they stay friends if they have different preferences? Bright illustrations walk young readers through a story about friendship, particularly how to navigate conflict and support each other even when one friend likes things the other isn't comfortable with, like scary movies. Simple sentences, humor, and vivid facial expressions make the story accessible to young readers transitioning from picture books toward chapter books. This is a great series for parents or caregivers who are helping early elementary students explore the emotional challenges of friendships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-264-1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-416-4\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 5-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 48\u003cbr\u003e6 x 9\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

April & Mae and the Movie Night

Paperback edition coming September 10, 2024. Pre-order today!

April & Mae and the Movie Night

The Saturday Book

By: Megan Dowd Lambert / Illustrated by: Gisela Bohórquez

Who's ready for a scary movie?

It’s Saturday, and April and Mae are having movie night. Mae gets pineapple on the pizza because April likes it, and April chooses a scary movie because Mae will like it. When the movie ends up being too scary for April, the girls realize that they don't have to like all the same things as long as they like each other!

With imagination and humor, Every Day with April & Mae brings all there is to know and love about friendship to life in a way kids can both relate to and learn from, making this a perfect fit for young readers ready to step up from picture books.

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Megan Dowd Lambert, author

Megan Dowd Lambert is the author of A Kid of Their OwnA Crow of His OwnReal Sisters Pretend, and Reading Picture Books with Children. Her experiences as a white mother of seven children in a blended, multiracial, queer, adoptive family inform her work as an author, reviewer, and educator. A former children's literature instructor at Simmons University, Megan reviews and writes for Kirkus and Horn Book; is a consultant with EmbraceRace, a community focused on race and kids; and serves on the curation team of Our Shelves, a subscription box service that features racially diverse, LGBTQ+, and feminist characters and families.

Read more about Megan.


Gisela Bohórquez, illustrator

Gisela Bohórquez fell in love with drawing when her parents gave her a huge box of crayons at three years old. Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, she was always surrounded by her uncle Jairo’s amazing books and her father’s drawings. At school, she used to sell little stickers with animals she drew herself. Ever since, Gisela knew she wanted to be an artist and work with shapes and colors. She studied Graphic Design in college, where she learned digital illustration and fell in love with those techniques. She loves to put her whole heart in her work: according to her, that’s the secret to connecting people with her designs.

Read more about Gisela.

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School Library Journal

April and Mae get together for Saturday movie night at April’s house. Even though they are best friends, they do not share the same likes and dislikes. Mae brings over pizza with pineapple and pepper toppings to accommodate both of their tastes. April selects a scary movie that she knows her friend will like. Simple sentence structures, with one- and two-syllable words, make this story accessible to emerging readers ready for slightly longer stories with deeper content. The brightly colored illustrations effectively convey the range of emotions felt by the girls over the course of the evening—from joy at seeing each other to concern about the movie’s content. Mae articulates the story’s central theme: “Friends do not have to like all the same things... Friends just have to like each other.” The characters’ actions reinforce the point, but the narrative fails to address the fact that being a friend sometimes means putting the needs of the other person before your own. After trying to watch Mae’s scary movie, a fearful April ends up spending part of the evening hiding under the kitchen table with Mae’s cat. This seems like a missed opportunity for Mae.

VERDICT The story helps children understand that best friends can have different interests, but it remains silent on the value of compromise.

Children's Literature

April and Mae are best friends. So are their cat and dog. Every day, they do an activity together. Saturdays are their movie nights. April brings pineapple to put on top of their pizza because she knows it's Mae's favorite. Mae chooses the movie, and tonight she picks a scary movie she knows April will like. Though the girls try, they don't always like the same things. How can they stay friends if they have different preferences? Bright illustrations walk young readers through a story about friendship, particularly how to navigate conflict and support each other even when one friend likes things the other isn't comfortable with, like scary movies. Simple sentences, humor, and vivid facial expressions make the story accessible to young readers transitioning from picture books toward chapter books. This is a great series for parents or caregivers who are helping early elementary students explore the emotional challenges of friendships.

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-264-1

Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-62354-416-4

Ages: 5-8
Page count: 48
6 x 9