“Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away”
By Meg Medina, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez.
Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass., 2020, 32 pages, K-2.
Summertime is both a time of joy and a time of stress. The weather is usually pleasant, allowing many outdoor activities. These include baseball, softball, swimming and biking. But it can also be a time of difficulty. This is usually caused by friends moving away for part of the summer or relocating to a different city . Meg Medina tells us the endearing story of two young girls saying goodbye to each other when one family leaves the neighborhood.
Evelyn Del Rey and her next door neighbor Daniela spend all their time together. They go to school together, play on the stairs of their apartment building, and in their apartments spin in circles until they fall down laughing. In their innocence, the girls put hearts on each other’s cheeks and have a special handshake of friendship.
Their parents are thrilled that the children have such a close friendship. They frequently go to the other’s apartment and share home baked goodies. But the wonderful times are about to change. Evelyn Del Rey’s family is moving away. Both girls are crushed at the thought of not being together. Though they are neighbors, the children are more like sisters. When the moving day arrives, the tears flow as they part company. Both promise to keep in touch, but they know that their lovely friendship will be altered.
What happens to the girls after Evelyn moves away? Can they keep their friendship alive? Why is it so important to have a deep friendship? Do you have someone you like to share your thoughts with? How do you keep the friendship alive? How does Evelyn and her neighbor remember their endearing friendship? To find out the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out this tender and moving story, “Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away” by Meg Median.
Meg Medina won the 2021-2022 Charlotte Zolotow Award for the finest writing of the year in a picture book. Charlotte Zolotow, 1915-2013, was a famous author in the field of children’s literature and was well known for the excellence of her writing.
This book is set in the inner city of an American urban area and the characters are primarily from minority backgrounds. When you read the book, you will be touched by the sweetness of the friendship between the girls. Medina portrays the innocence of childhood with great tenderness throughout the story. This book would be a great read aloud in a classroom setting or outstanding oral read with a younger member of your family. I think you will enjoy this very poignant story. Enjoy!
