I Love You, Blue Kangaroo!

Blue Kangaroo #1

by Emma Chichester Clark

When Blue Kangaroo feels misplaced by Lily's new toys, he wonders if she would even notice if he were gone? A heartwarming and comforting tale of sibling rivalry, loyalty, and lasting love, I Love You Blue Kangaroo is a Child Magazine Best Kids' Book of the Year.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Friendship, Love, Animals, Fiction, Storytime

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 20, 1998

About the author

Education:
Chelsea School of Art, B.A. (with honors), 1978;
Royal College of Art, M.A. (with honors), 1983.

Additional information about her life can be found at:
http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1059...

Reviews

[Nissa]

When I was a younger child my mother would read me that story all the time. She began to call me her BLue Kangaroo. She still calls me that now but I rarely think back and remember the book when she says "I love you Blue Kangaroo."

[معصومه توکلی]

چه قدر با کانگوروی آبی همذات پنداری می کردم!😭
آن یک ستاره را هم به خاطر حسودی ام به لی لی از کتاب کم می کنم! بعله!

[Melki]

A favorite stuffed toy feels threatened with its owner is suddenly deluged with new stuffed animals. I liked the sweet illustrations, but Woody and Buzz did it better.

[Thy Anonymous]

This is one of my favourite children story books- Where the Wild Things are? Ha! Alexander and a Terrible Horrible No good bad day? Yeah right! This is it! Excellently crafted in art and in language- a very moving tale, for me at least. This material had a great influence and impact on me when I was younger; the whole concept of forgetting, ditching, switching for a better and newer version of something you loved so dearly was a touchy one and hit me right where it hurt. After reading this book I tried to share my love with everyone equally- including people and toys- so that no one would ever feel how Blue Kangaroo felt that day; lonesome, betrayed, unloved, and worst of all: "not enough".

[Mahdiye Fateh]

قصه ی ما و آدمهای مهم زندگیمان شاید.

[Clemmie Hill]

A heartwarming story of a girl and her toy blue kangaroo. When Lily gets given more toys, she forgets about her first toy, blue kangaroo. The story has a great moral thread of treating new & old friends with honour. Beautiful illustration and writing. Loved it.

[Lara]

A few of my PreK students were really caught up in this book. I like that it’s written from the perspective of the stuffed animal feeling more and more insecure as the child accumulates more stuffed animals. I also liked that when the animal felt there was no room for it that it solved the problem by finding someone who appreciated its company. I really didn’t like the end message that the best solution was for the girl to give up all her other stuffed animals (friends) to prove her love of the kangaroo. Would’ve been way cooler if the blue kangaroo found it’s niche and could be secure among the new additions... such as would benefit us all to be able to do as we grow and change in our relationships through life.

[abookishuniverse]

An amazing childhood bedtime story. I remember reading this everyday before bed with my favorite plushy toy at the time in my arms. It such a cute story that can teach children very important values and I recommend it even to adults. If I ever have any children I will definitely be reading this to them. Blue Kangaroo has captured all of our hearts.

[Anna]

I think number one this is a good book I think to read when little ones are getting a sibling, shows you will always LOVE the first baby..no matter what she loves her blue kangaroo💗. No one can replace it and no matter what toys she got nothing was loved as much as the kangaroo.

[Kristin ❀]

This is one of my all- time favourite childhood books.

[Iz]

Ugh. A classic. Great illustrations and simple plot line that will hopefully be relatable enough to distract the kids from fighting with one another, but simple enough to make them go to sleep just after one book, since it literally talks about going to sleep. Timeless. Also has some great catchphrases you can use as onomatopoeias in your daily life. What you’d expect from reading a children’s book. If you read into, which I did of course, you can find some good lessons in there too. You only need one stuffed animal. Be generous with the things you love. Say thank you after receiving a gift. Play with the toys you get. Play outside. Brush your teeth before you go to sleep. Great stuff.

[Alireza Emami]

ترجمه:پارسا مهين پور، نسرين وكيلی
انتشازات مبتکران

متن کتاب با آن که در غالب داستانی ساده روایت شده اما مفاهیم عمیقی چون عشق، دوستی و نیاز به امنیت در روابط را به زیبایی برای مخاطبین خردسال بیان می کند. کتاب از نیاز بشر به دوست داشتن و دوست داشته شدن سخن می گوید. و نشان دهنده نیاز ما به احساس امنیت در هر نوع رابطه ای است

[Angela De Groot]

One of my all time favorites. Lily loves her blue kangaroo. Every night he fell asleep in Lily’s arms. But then Lily receives a cuddly brown bear and a soft cotton rabbit, an owl, a crocodile, and 2 fluffy puppies. And she loves them. Is there still room in Lily’s bed and in her heart for Blue Kangaroo?

[Lisa]

🤎Lovely illustrations
❤️Lots of everyday scenarios
🧡Goes through things to do at bedtime eg. PJs on and brushing teeth
💛Good discussion point - should Lily let her baby sibling have her toy?
💚Use of speech bubbles
💙Blue Kangaroo is super cute
💜Not 100% sure on the idea of gifts being given so much as portrayed in this story

[Fatzbrekker]

This was my favourite book EVER when I was little !! We've had it on our shelves at home for so long, I forgot about it. I remembered it today and took it out to read to my brother and I started crying because it reminded me of why I loved it so much as a child. It's so comforting in a way I can't explain !!

[Kimberly]

Such a cute story about Lily and Blue Kangaroo. As Lily is given more stuffed animals from the people in her life, Blue Kangaroo is pushed out. But when Lily can't find him, she comes to realize he is the best of all.

[Alicia Balliett]

Such a cute story for children! I will buying a copy for whenever I have kids. :)

[Sarah]

I picked this up at a used book fair. An adorable book. I didn't know this was a series, but I will read the others, and be on the lookout for them as well.

[Helen]

I really enjoyed the book.

[Jane]

Undeniably sweet, but you can't expect me not to feel bad for the other toys!

[Harry Stewart]

This is a favourite out of the whole Blue Kangaroo series.

A great bed time read

[Attaboi]

Excellent anti-polyamory picture book

[Joey Gee]

Piggles!

[Maddie]

Very cute book, I loved this as a kid.

[Camila Bueso]

Since Lily was very small she slept with her favorite stuffed animal name, Blue Kangaroo. Many of Lily’s family members start giving her new stuffed animals. Soon after, Blue Kangaroo gets pushed further and further to the side of the bed. One night, Blue Kangaroo states “there is just no room for me anymore” so he decides to sleep that night with Lily’s brother. Lily tries to take Blue Kangaroo back but her mother says she should let her brother keep it since she has a lot of stuffed animals she could play with. Lily decides to give all her new stuffed animals to her brother if she could take Blue Kangaroo back.

The major theme of the story is valuing friendship especially those friends that have been with you through thick and thin. Those are the friends we should value the most regardless of the new friends we met along the way.

The book reminds me of a time in grade school when my best friend, Thali decided to hang out with a new group of girls. I felt sad because I realized Thali had changed me for her new friends. I spoke with my mom and told her everything that was going on in school. She said I should speak with Thali and let her know how I felt. When I spoke with Thali, she told me I was her best friend and she would never change our friendship for any new she met along the way. Currently, Thali and I are still best friends and I would never change her for anything. We had share very special moments together and although we might have new friends she is still my go-to person when I need help.

I would recommend this book to teachers who are trying to teach their students about the value of friendship. The book gives the reader two different perspectives about the issue. This would be a good way to start a conversation about making sure your friends know you love them and not letting your new friends take over an old friendship. Regardless of the story line, the book has great illustrations with tons of colors and use of different materials which will keep the audience more engaged.

[Adam Clavey]

In this story a little girl has a blue kangaroo that she loves and hugs every single night. As she gets new animals she hugs them goodnight and tells them she loves them. She never forgets to tell blue kangaroo she loves him. Because there are so many stuffed animals, blue kangaroo falls off the bed one night. Feeling unloved, he goes to her baby brothers room. The next morning she finds her baby brother playing with blue kangaroo. She is upset and says she would give up any stuffed animal but not blue kangaroo. She goes back to her room and to collect all her animals and give them to her brother. That night she taking blue kangaroo and reminds him once again of her love. The story has themes of friendship, love, and appreciation. Students preschool to first grade would love this book.

[Mary]

This is a great book with the lesson that you can't set aside those you love in favor of others because they will leave you and find someone who will love them. This little girl has a blue kangaroo that she loves, but she starts receiving all kinds of other animals from friends of her parents who start to push blue kangaroo away. He starts to feel left out and alone, so he finds the baby to love him. When the little girl finds out, she rushes to his side and gives all of her other animals to her baby brother, but she keeps the blue kangaroo all to herself. It would be a good story to teach the importance of loving what you have and sharing when others don't have as much as you do.

[Whitney Bailey]

Retell the story from Blue Kangaroo's point of view.

Try hot-seating the characters in the story to find out their feelings about what happened. How did Blue Kangaroo feel at different points? Did Lily realize that Blue Kangaroo was feeling upset?


Make a list of adjectives that are used to describe each of the toys in the story.

Write a story about your favorite toy.

Think of words to describe your favorite toy. What does it look like? Where did it come from? How does it make you feel?

[Akaul002odu.edu]

1. Genre and age: Fantasy, ages 5 to 10

2. Summary: Lily is gifted a blue kangaroo, and then multiple stuffed animals after that. When she realizes she doesn't want to lose blue kangaroo, she offers up her other stuffed toys just to have her blue kangaroo back.

3. Curriculum: A lesson on friendship could be tired into this picture book.

4. Reaction: I thought this book had a sweet message but lacked artistic depth.

5. Illustrations: The illustrations were simple and repeated the same bright hues and tones throughout.

[Carly Brown]

For Misty's Award

Level: Early

Genre: Picture Book

Topic: Favorite Stuffed Animal

Curricular Use: Shared Reading

Social: Not being able to replace an old friend, a child having a strong connection to their stuffed animal, security

Literary Elements: Rhyming, Dynamic Character, Personification

Strong connection between pictures and text (the anxious expression on Blue Kangaroo's face is priceless and really adds to the mood of the story)