No Fits, Nilson!

PreS-Gr 1—Amelia's constant companion is a giant teal-colored gorilla. She and Nilson play well together, but he occasionally gets frustrated or angry, causing him to throw tantrums. Whenever he threatens to lose his cool, Amelia is there to soothe him by saying, "No fits, Nilson" and offer a pleasant alternative. But sometimes, she needs calming, too. Nilson quells the little girl's temper by letting her take the last banana ice-cream cone while he partakes of the chocolate one instead. Parents will not be surprised to discover in the last picture that Nilson is really a reasonably sized stuffed animal that Amelia uses as a coping tool. The matte illustrations are done in a vibrant palette and give the book an old-fashioned look. Nilson hulks over petite Amelia, but his fierce demeanor is balanced by a heart-shaped patch of tummy fur and a childlike choice of accessories. The simple text set against lots of white space makes this a good read-aloud. Many children will readily identify with this not-too-scary gorilla whose emotions are kept in check by an endearing youngster-or vice versa.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT