Plus One by John Hare

Plus One by John Hare. Margaret Ferguson Books, an imprint of Holiday House, 2024. 9780823450435






Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3



Format : Hardcover picture book



What did you like about the book?  Agnes is the new girl at school, and decides to host a tea party to get to know her classmates. While delivering invitations to girls in her class, one invitation goes astray and ends up in the hands of Dave, the boy next door. As the tea party starts, Agnes waits and waits, but none of the girls show up. Dave, however, rings the bell, hoping to join in. As he wasn’t the intended invitee, Agnes tells him that the invitation read, “plus one,” and turns him away. Dave will not be deterred and rings the bell over and over, each time with a surprising “plus one.” Each time, Agnes finds a reason to turn him away. Finally, when it seems that none of the girls are coming, Agnes goes outside and asks to join Dave, his mom, and an assortment of animal “plus ones” in a game of tag.



It was funny to see a a kid who wants to make friends stick so adamantly to the social constructs of “plus one” and only girls. Readers of this book will have opinions about Agnes’s decision to exclude a kid who is clearly keen to make friends, when the very object of her party is to make friends. There will be some giggling as Agnes invents reasons for disliking Dave’s “plus ones.” I love Hare’s personification of the animals, and the people all have an almost sculptural solidity. I have always enjoyed John Hare’s wordless picture books – his visual storytelling is full of clever details that invite speculation. And the story ends happily when all of the girls arrive and Agnes invites them in for tea, along with Dave and all of his animal friends. Agnes and Dave cue as white; their schoolmates are a racially diverse group.



Anything you didn’t like about it? The concept of “plus one” will be a new concept for kids, along with Agnes’s decision not to let Dave come in. Sure, he wasn’t invited, but readers will wonder: is it because he is a boy, or is something else going on?



To whom would you recommend this book?  For ages 5-7. The book could be part of a discussion on inclusion.



Who should buy this book?  Elementary school and public libraries



Where would you shelve it?  Picture books



Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA



Date of review:  June 9, 2024