While some aspects of this tale are dated, the core story of a shy girl wanting to be friends is timeless, and brought a smile to my face. ( )

The most interesting thing about this story is the illustrations and what ISN'T in the text. Janice is a new girl in school and feeling lonely. She has not been able to make friends and is afraid she will receive no valentines at the class valentine party. On the way back to school, she helps a girl in her class out and they become friends. Standard story done well, sweet but not cloying.

What isn't even mentioned in the text is that Janice is African-American and that her classmates are white, which puts a whole different slant on it. It also makes me wonder what the author's intention was and whether the interracial angle was the author's, the illustrator's or the publisher's ( )