Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Summary: Lilly is always very excited to go to school, and she is loves her teacher Mr. Slinger. In fact she likes her teacher so much, that she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. One day, Lilly brings her new sunglasses, three quarters, and a new purple, music playing purse that she got from her weekend with her Grandmother, to school. Mr. Slinger tells Lilly that she needs to wait  to show everybody her new glasses, her quarters, and purple, music playing purse, but Lilly just can’t wait. Eventually, Mr. Slinger has to confiscate her new things because she keeps interrupting the class. Lilly is sad, at first, but after some thinking in the Light bulb corner, she becomes mad. Lilly is so mad that she makes a mean drawing about Mr. Slinger and sneaks it into his book bag. At the end of the day, Mr. Slinger gives back her things, but Lilly is still mad, and says that she doesn’t want to be a teacher anymore, as she walks out the door to go home. On her way home she find a nice note and a snack bag in her purse from Mr. Slinger. Now, Lilly, feels really bad about what she did, she feels so bad that she runs home to tell her parents everything. Lilly puts herself in timeout, but eventually gets to work on a new drawing for a Mr. Slinger. Her parent’s even help by writing their own note for Mr. Slinger and baking cookies for him. The next day Lilly, apologizes and gives her the things she and her parents put together yesterday afternoon to Mr. Slinger. Mr. Slinger forgives her and shares his cookies with the whole class. Now, everybody wants to be a teacher, especially Lilly.

Review: This book is a sweet book that gives a lesson to its audience of 5 to 8 year olds, on taking new things in the classroom. This situation depicted by Kenkes is a very real one to children at these ages. It’s important that children understand why their things are being confiscated and what they can’t show everyone their new things whenever they want to. I would love to have this book on shelf, and would read it to my class to introduce a sharing time or a show and tell time.