Me and the Boss: A Story About Mending and Love

by Michelle Edwards, April Harrison (Illustrator)

All the highs and lows of having a bossy, protective, and loving older sibling are depicted in this picture book. Meet Lee, a little boy who won't give up until he learns how to sew, and Zora, the sister who watches him try--and ultimately succeed!

I know big sisters. Zora, the boss, she's mine, explains Lee as he and Zora head to the library, where Mrs. C is teaching the children how to sew. Though Zora sews a beautiful flower on her cloth square, little Lee makes a mess out of the half-moon he is trying to stitch. That night, when he can't sleep, he gives sewing another try...and succeeds, even mending the hole in his pants pocket! The next morning, he sneaks into Zora's room and sews the ear back on Bess, her stuffed bear. When Zora discovers Bess, she wraps Lee in her special big sister hug--for just a moment--and then is back to being the boss once again.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, African American, Sewing, Fiction, Realistic Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 11, 2022

Reviews

[Karen Witzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming picture book about siblings and mending. Told from the perspective of Lee, Zora's younger brother who goes along with her to a beginning sewing class at the library. Lee is quite taken with his new skill and mends his own pocket and a torn stuffed animal. The sibling, family, and community relationships are lovingly portrayed. A good book about a boy who discovers that he likes to sew.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved how the author elevated the impact and work of librarians! What seems like a simple activity changes our protagonist in such a positive way! I can also connect to have a “Boss” for an older sibling 😉

[Octavia]

The illustrations are Breathtaking...
Overall this book let me with lingering feelings and thoughts. I have so many questions.

[Sarah BT · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I loved that it shows a young boy learning sewing skills (at the library no less!) and not only that, but a young boy of color. But the text just didn’t quite flow the way I wanted and I wanted a bit more resolution or something. It felt like something was missing by the end. It could be a great companion book to a library program.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. The text was a bit clunky for my liking, but it is one of the only books about sewing that I have come across in picture book format. (The fact that the male child learns to sew at the library is just an added bonus!) I do feel like it should've had a different title--the current title just doesn't do it justice.

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It shows a relationship between a younger brother (Lee) and his older sister (Zora) as they visit their library and learn how to sew.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a 3.5 for me. Narrated by six-year-old Lee, this picture book will be quite relatable for anyone with an older sibling, especially one as bossy and take-charge as Zora. Zora is the one who takes the lead for just about everything, and it's clear that Lee has a healthy fear of her as well as deep love and admiration. After all, she lets him come with her to different places such as the library and makes sure he's safe on the way to and from their destinations. At the library, she even asserts his right to participate in the embroidery activity even though he's clearly underage. Of course, Zora has no trouble stitching a pretty flower, but Lee struggles and makes a mess of his work. No matter because later that night, after Zora has shown off her work and Lee tells his parents that his isn't finished, he gets out of bed and carefully finishes his moon. And that's not all: he repairs the hole in his pants pocket and the ear on her stuffed bear. The two share a tender moment when she sees what Lee has done, but then, she reverts back to type, bossing him out the door. The text captures the very real but complicated relationship between these two and Lee's struggles with sewing, using effective language that a child would use to describe the process: "sail our thread through the needle's eye like a little boat," "my needle and my thread boat hit my finger" (unpaged) and "that tiger's tooth, mean and sharp" (unpaged) as Lee endeavors to make his fingers do what they need to do in order to come up with something attractive. The illustrations, created with collage, acrylic, artist pens, and pencils, bring the characters to life, showing the careful concentration of the youngsters as they work with needles and embroidery thread and the patience of Mrs. C, who is teaching them this new skill. Even Zora's proud posture as she shows off her work to her parents and the impulsively expansive and close hug she gives to Lee once she sees what he's accomplished enable readers to have insight into these personalities and this special relationship. This picture book would be perfect for sharing with youngsters as a reminder that love is expressed in many different ways, sometimes even through bossiness.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

2023 ALA, Coretta Scott,King Illustrator honor book

Zara is the boss of her six year old brother Lee. Where she goes, he goes when they go to the library and Marj pass the books and the computers to the craft room. The teacher gives everyone threads and needles but not Leigh until Zora says he looks small but he’s really eight, Lee needs one. Leigh struggles to thread his needle and not prick his hand as he tries to embroider on the cloth. Zara makes a very nice flower. Lee sewing is pretty much of a mess and calls it a half moon. He hides it when they get home saying it’s not finished yet. in the middle of the night he cannot sleep and so he takes out the sewing and pricks his fingers, then tells his hands slow down, and he works hard and finishes the circle and then puts in a face. He also mentioned a hole in his pocket before he goes back to sleep. The next morning while his sister goes down for breakfast, he mends the ear on her bear hug every reproval in return.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The boss” is the older sister, Zora. Little brother Lee describes the relationship between is bossy, though caring, older sister. She speaks up for him at the library so that he gets his own needle and thread, regardless of the fact that he is probably too young. Zora seems to be an expert at embroidery already, where as Lee struggles. Zora proudly shows off her project at home while Lee hides his for a surprise. The real surprise is that Lee figures out how to use his new skill to not only repair the hole in his pocket, but also restitch the ear onto his sister’s stuffed bear. “She wraps me and Bess in her special hug, and we share something that is bigger than my pocket, bigger than Bess’s ear, maybe even bigger than me or Zora.”

A sweet story about the sometimes confusing relationship between siblings.

[Madison Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute story about siblings. The older sibling was “The boss,” And the younger one listened to everything she said. This wasn't an I-tell-you-what-to-do-and-you-do-it relationship. It was I respect my sister, and I love her, so I'll do what she asks me to do. They did everything together because they loved each other. The older sister didn't feel like the brother was a burden on her, which was great. It was also good because the older sister stuck up for her brother when the teacher said he was too young to do things, and then when he learned how to do them, he did stuff for his older sister, such as sowing the ear back on her bear. The brother also showed his pocket of his ripped pants. He would never have learned these skills if it wasn't for his sister bringing him to the library to learn how to do this.

[Susan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet and satisfying story about a little boy (we're guessing he's six) and his older sister who takes her care taking responsibilities very seriously. She is In Charge, and he knows it. She takes him to a library program where he is introduced to a sewing craft. She excels, he is terrible and he knows it. But he perseveres, practicing at night when he should be asleep. Not only does he do a great job designing and executing an original craft, but he also repairs the ear on his sister's teddy bear. This is a beautiful story about family, about relationships and responsibility and absolutely, about the satisfaction of perseverance.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lee's big sister Zora is the boss. She takes Lee to the library for an embroidery lesson, and, he struggles - pricking his fingers with the needle and having trouble making his stitches straight. He doesn't even want to show his work to his parents, but that night, when he can't sleep, Lee gives it another try.

I was excited to see a story about a boy learning to sew, and, yes, that sort of happened. His sister wasn't all that bossy, I read it again wondering if I missed something. There are instructions for making your own embroidered moon. Lee and Zora are black.

Cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly touching tale about seven-year-old Lee and his older sister, Zora, who he calls "the boss." The epitome of a tough love sibling relationship. They go to the library and learn how to stitch and the boss stands up for him and makes sure he gets what he needs but also orders him around. Lee is embarrassed by his stitching at first but later practices his embroidery and finishes the project, sews up his pants, and fixes Zora's stuffed animal to her delight. He feels grown up and appreciated and then she orders him to get ready for school :) Illustrated in a combo of drawing and paper collage

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lee and Zora are siblings, and Zora is the boss. She leads them everywhere they go, and today they go to the library for a class on sewing. Zora lies about Lee's age so he can join the class, but he struggles while everyone else seems to catch on right away. When they get home, Lee hides his because it isn't as good as Zora's. When he's awake at night, he keeps working at it until he does it and even fixes the hole in his pocket. In the morning, he stitches Zora's bear's ear too. While Zora is the boss, Lee can help out too. I wish there was more to the story, especially the boss dynamic to make it more understandable to children. It feels a little more intended for adults.

[Skylar Cutlip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is centered on two siblings, Zora (the boss) and her little brother Lee. The story shows realistic sibling relationships where sometimes siblings pick on each other but are also each other’s supporters. When Lee struggles with sewing he begins to practice to become better. This shows his reliance on learning a new skill. In return, he sews his sister Zora’s, stuffed animals ear back on. Throughout the book, readers can see the mix of bossiness, care and love between the two siblings as they help one another in different ways. This is a good book as it includes diversity, expressive illustrations and is very simple and clear to read and understand.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me and the Boss is at its core a story about a boy and his older sister (The Boss). The reader sees how Lee follows his older sister Zora obeying her every command. On this day, they head to the library to join a class about sewing. While Zora seems to master the craft, Lee has trouble. He takes his project home and late at night decides to master the stitching. He takes what he learns and mends a few other things in need of attention. In the end, Zora shows her appreciation. The book actually provides directions for Lee's moon sewing project.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The seven-year-old narrator of this story of sibling affection tells of his older sister, "the boss", who's authoritarian, no-nonsense rule is also subtly loving and protective. The boy and the boss attend activity day at the local library where they learn to stitch sew a design in fabric. The boy won't reveal his crude artwork, but late at night he wakes, finishes his swath, and then uses the new-found sewing skills to mend his pocket and the boss's stuffed bear's ears. A sweet story of fierce loyal sibling love.

[Faith Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictional children's Picturebook was published in 2022 and was awarded the Coretta Scott King award. This book is about two siblings, and older sister Zora and younger brother Lee. The book is told in the perspective of the younger brother who learns how to sew by tagging along with his "boss", his sister Zora. It's a nice story where boys and especially boy students of color and see windows of Lee's sewing hobby while also bringing cultural relativity by showing a tight knit sibling relationship.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lee's big sister Zora is the boss sometimes. She takes him to the library and they learn how to sew. Lee isn't very good at first, but when he actually slows down Lee discovers maybe he can do it...and use it to fix something for himself and his sister.

There are certainly not a lot of books about learning to sew and how useful it can be. It's a story about perseverance too, and the rewards of not giving up. I also like how Lee and Zora's relationship is portrayed. He calls her boss, but they act more like friends, looking out for each other. It's a simple story but sweet in its sentiment.

[Parker Henthorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was something I was able to relate to because I have this kind of relationship with my little brother. Zora, the older sister, was very perfect when it came to sewing. Lee, the younger brother, was far from perfect. He kept wanting to give up, but his sister would not let him. He eventually tried, time and time again, until he was finally able to sew the hole in his clothing. It was a beautiful story about perseverance. The lesson learned was that you should never give up, and there is always someone who believes in you.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet yet simple, transcendent tale about Lee, a young boy, and his older sister, Zora (aka: boss), who attend a library program and learn how to sew. I appreciate how the story encourages kids to make and do and create, despite discouragement.

Make sure to check out the back that includes instructions on how to make Lee's smiling moon.

Themes: siblings, sewing, fixing things
Ages: 1-5th grade
Pub year: 2022

[Pam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bossy women is a comment most women hear endlessly. This is not a stereotype that needs to be taught to children especially boys. It is demeaning! For that reason alone I do not recommend this book. But otherwise the story is sadly one dimensional. I liked that it was about a boy and sewing, but it lacked the complexity that would make it a book to read more than once. I did enjoy the illustrations.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

His older sister is the boss and he goes wherever she goes. This time they go to the library for an embroidery class. His older sister does a pretty flower, but Lee's moon doesn't turn out right. That night he tries again and gaining confidence with his needle he mends his the pocket in his pants and his sister's bear. Rounded up because of the embroidery instructions for Lee's moon in the back.

King illustrated honor award.

[Ersa S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and how the story was written through the young boy's perspective and voice. This would be a great book to read at a pre-K storytime so they could see the similarities in speech, action, and pattern to themselves. Some could even have their own bosses at home!

It was very sweet to see the love between the siblings of the book, and even more wonderful to see the young boy learn a skill for himself.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 Winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award, given annually to the author of the best picture book published in teh US or Canada. Given by the Cooperative Center for Children's Books.

Quiet and sweet story about a boy and his older sister who attend an embroidery class at their local library. Beautifully illustrated with texture and a folk-art kind of style. Love the strong family theme and of course, the library :)

[Alyssa Berardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great book for children to read. I think it can be very relatable to children who have siblings. This book also has great illustrations. I also really like this book because it has a great lesson for relationships not just sibling ones. Another aspect of this book that I like is in the illustrations there are children from many different backgrounds so it makes the book more realistic.

[Angie Counsell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice story about a brother and sister who go to the library and learn how to embroider. The young boy has a hard time figuring out how to do the work, he tends to rush. Once he slows down and focuses, he is able to successfully complete his picture. He then goes around and fixes other things, making his sister happy. This is a fun snapshot into the family dynamics of an older sister and a younger brother and some of their day to day activities. Simple but heartwarming.

[Binxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big sisters, yes they are often the boss and yes, they also have your back. This is a great story of siblings trying something new together. Lee struggles at first but in his own time succeeds surprising Zora and earning him a genuine hug from her. But good old Zora, quickly returns to her role as The Boss and life goes on. Loved the illustrations and the story.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book! Intelligent and cunning, this is a book that proves that complex interiority indeed can exist both within children as well as books written for children. Not to mention, April Harrison's magnificent art--which one must always mention, because it is fabulous and fitting and Caldecott worthy!

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved reading this story about Lee and his big sister ("the boss") Zora, though the story really centers on Lee overcoming the challenge of learning how to sew and mend items - despite poking his fingers with a needle. I love how a library program was built into this story, as this element and sewing circle around librarian Mrs. C felt really familiar to my five year old.