Reminders: Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal

Dear Girl,

Make you room awesome. Make it YOU!

And while you're at it, make your bed!

There are plenty of things we want to say to a beloved child, things we hope are helpful, memorable, and hopeful. There is a world of good counsel here--like "Know when to say NO," or "You won't be invited to every party," or "It's okay not to feel sparkly all the time." If you need to cry, go ahead. You can color outside the lines if you like, but don't forget to clean up your room. You need friends, but you also need to be alone sometimes.

There are no rules, but... I'm giving you some points to remember, just in case. Listen to your heart, be brave when you can, and when you can't, I'll be there for you.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal and her daughter Paris Rosenthal had created a little book for daughters or granddaughters or any much-loved girl, Dear Girl, (Harper, 2017), filled with all the things we want to say to a child, those truisms that rarely get said. Artist Holly Hatam adds spare but expressive illustrations that flesh out Rosenthal's sweet text with free-flowing action. A fine gift for a special girl, and a first choice for library shelves.