Lizzie and Harold

by Elizabeth Winthrop, Martha Weston (Illustrator)

Lizzie learns a valuable lesson about friendship when she discovers that, sometimes, best friends are there all along, and it is not necessary to go looking for them

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1986

About the author

ELIZABETH WINTHROP ALSOP (www.elizabethwinthropalsop.com), is the author of over sixty works of fiction for all ages, including ISLAND JUSTICE and IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, both available as e-books.

DAUGHTER OF SPIES: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies, her memoir about her parents' love affair during World War II and her own childhood in 1950s Washington as the daughter of a famous journalist, will be published October 25, 2022 by Regal House.

Her short story, The Golden Darters, was selected by Best American Short Stories by Robert Stone and was recently read on SELECTED SHORTS by the renowned actress, Ann Dowd. She is the author of the memoir piece, Don't Knock Unless You're Bleeding; Growing Up in Cold War Washington.The daughter of Stewart Alsop, the political journalist, she divides her time between New York City and the Berkshires.

Her historical novel, COUNTING ON GRACE was chosen as a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association and the Children’s Book Council among others. The novel has also been nominated for state book awards in Vermont, Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri,Indiana, Hawaii and Arizona.

THE CASTLE IN THE ATTIC and its sequel, THE BATTLE FOR THE CASTLE, were nominated for twenty-three state book awards and are considered children’s fantasy classics.

Her popular picture books include DUMPY LA RUE, SHOES,DOG SHOW, SQUASHED IN THE MIDDLE and most recently, THE FIRST CHRISTMAS STOCKING and THE BIGGEST PARADE. Two of her recent books for older children are THE RED-HOT RATTOONS, a comic fantasy novel and DEAR MR. PRESIDENT, Letters from a Milltown Girl, a work of historical fiction set in western Massachusetts.

For more information, www.elizabethwinthrop.com

Reviews

[Kristi Maurer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Lizzie and Harold” is a book about true friendship. Lizzie has her ideal friendship requirements and goes out searching for a new friend. Harold desperately wants to be Lizzie’s friend, as can be seen clearly on the front cover where you find him chasing after her. However, Lizzie is blinded by her definition of a friend and won’t let Harold fill this role. Harold even learns how to do “cat’s cradle” for her. After using some unique, but unsuccessful methods to find a friend, Lizzie gives up. Harold also gives up on Lizzie and goes out looking for his own friend. It is at this point that Lizzie realizes what she has given up. Harold also admits that he really wants Lizzie as his friend and the two are shown walking off hand in hand in the final illustration. I would recommend this book for elementary age students. It teaches the lesson that we need to be careful of not accepting people into our group because they are different from us. I would use this in the classroom during a unit on diversity as one example of not being open-minded. I would also use this to help students realize the difficulties involved sometimes in friendships.

[Heloyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

This simple story explains that a good friend can't be bought or sought in unlikely ways. Sometimes, what you are looking for just happens. Lucky you, when you discover it was right close by all the time.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I love this story so much is because Lizzie's quest for a best friend beautifully parallels my search for my own Harold :)