Best friends by Loretta Krupinski

Best friends Reviews

• 
  Tasasha Battle

  Scared and nervous a little girl named Charlotte is on her way to the new west. To help with the move Charlotte’s aunt brought her a very special doll. Mary, the doll, was to be her first friend at her new home. Until Charlotte ran across an Indian girl Lily who discovered her “secret hiding place.” From there friendship grew despite the language barrier or cultural differences between them. The friends will soon find that it is their differences that will help save Lily’s village. I could not find any information on the author Loretta Krupinski and her connection to diversity. I will use this book in the historical context of the Native Americans culture. This narrative shows the perspective of the Native Americans during the time of western expansions and the lost of their land. The historical aspect of the story is further useful with its authentication of pictures of real everyday items from the 1800s that Krupinski utilizes to enhance the story. Students can use this book to tell family stories or about significant family items by taking pictures or making pictures of these stories or items to present to the class. Best Friends serves the purpose of friendship and diversity in the fact that these two girls are from completely different backgrounds but still found friendship in the mist of their differences. They learned from each other and accepted their different ways. I want to exhibit how differences between two people can be a positive instead of a negative attribute.
• 
  Zilha B.

  This narrative is about two best friends, Charlotte and Lily, who were separated after the "Nez Perce Indians" fled the land because of the help of Charlotte and her family. Loretta Krupinski, the author, tells the story from Charlotte's perspective at an older age, who reminisces back about the time she and Lily were friends because of the memories in her doll. As a teacher, I would use this book to discuss migration or the Trail of Tears ("... soldiers are coming this way to round up the Indians," he said.). I would also use this book to teach students that it is okay to have friends who are different from you because you can learn so much from each other. For example, Lily did not know how to read or write, but Charlotte taught her, and that is how she was able to receive the message about the soldiers coming their way (" I gave Lily chalk and a slate, and began to teach her how to read and write."). I appreciate Krupinski because she traveled to Idaho, where she was inspired, and worked closely with the Nez Perce National Historical Park. I also appreciate her, as an illustrator, because the illustrations, as well as the real-life pictures, added to the story-line.
• 
  Gloria Berger

  This book had a lot of words but it was a book about friendship. I liked the photos it contained, some were the illustrators rendition but others looked more real.
• 
  Paula

  This is a beautiful story about long lasting friendship. It had me in tears at the end.
• 
  Jennifer Burke

  This is a nonfiction story that looks at the friendship between a girl who moved from Kansas to indian land near Oregon. It shows how despite differences, friendships can run deep and last many years.
  
  Tags: Native Americans, Friendship, Settlements
  
  I would use this story to demonstrate that non-fiction can come in the form of stories. I would also use this story to share about how valuable it is to have friends that are different from yourself.