Lili Macaroni

By Nicole Testa, Annie Boulanger (Illustrator)

A young girl finds strength in her uniqueness and starts a conversation about emotions.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 165 ratings

32 pages· 694 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud

$17.95Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Lili Macaroni loves being herself until kindergarten classmates make her doubt her uniqueness. Faced with hurtful comments, she considers changing who she is. With her family's support, Lili creates a butterfly symbolizing resilience and shares it with her peers. This act sparks a conversation about emotions, revealing that everyone has struggles to let go. Can Lili's courage inspire others to embrace their true selves?

From the publisher

An accessible picture book about resilience, self-esteem, and the power of talking about emotions Lili Macaroni loves drawing butterflies, counting the stars, and being exactly who she is–Lili Macaroni. That is, until she starts kindergarten. There her classmates tell her that her hair is like a pumpkin, her eyes are squinty blueberries, and her laugh is like a parrot’s squawk. She has never felt such unhappiness before. It makes her want to erase herself and draw a brand new Lili. Then she reconsiders. Does she really want to erase her hair that’s just like Mom’s? Her eyes just like Grandma’s? Her Grandpa’s infectious laugh? With her parents’ help, she creates a polka-dotted butterfly to wear at her collar, publicly announcing her own resilience and symbolically letting her sorrows be flown away. And when she explains the butterfly to her classmates, Lili discovers she has begun a powerful conversation, and that everyone has some trouble to be carried away on butterfly wings. In this accessible exploration of emotions and self-esteem, Nicole Testa and Annie Boulanger create a relatable heroine with inborn ingenuity and warm family support.

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