Yoko by Rosemary Wells

Yoko is one of Pippi's many favorites by Rosemary Wells. Yoko is from Japan, and one day at school her classmates discover that her lunch is different from theirs. The story shares how a loving teacher tries to help her, and how it only takes one friend to help someone feel better. This general plot is sweet, but the details in this book make it a delight to read to Pippi. We love how Wells describes everybody's lunch, and we love the description of the classroom atmosphere. Mrs. Jenkin's plays the Clean Hands Song and the Friendly Song. Yoko sits under The Learning Tree. I usually don't say this about children's books, but in many of Wells' books I feel like I'm right there. And it such a sweet place to be, where children are learning and growing and teachers and parents are so very very kind to them. I also recommend Yoko's Paper Cranes, Yoko's World of Kindness, Max's Dragon Shirt, Noisy Nora, and Ruby's Beauty Shop, all by dear Rosemary Wells.