Zuri Ray and the Backyard Bash

From New York Times bestselling author Tami Charles and rising star illustrator Sharon Sordo comes the second book in a charming picture book series about a fun, spunky girl with strong opinions, big ideas, and a huge heart!
Zuri Ray is back! And this time, she's got a party to plan. With summer coming to an end, a backyard bash is an absolute must, and Zuri's not letting her parents' questionable tastes anywhere near the details. The food, the decorations, the entertainment—everything has to be perfect. Good thing her friends are ready to help!
But when the party doesn't go exactly according to plan, will Zuri be able to let loose and improvise? Or will the chaos be too much to handle?
Perfect for fans of Fancy Nancy and Fresh Princess, Zuri Ray and the Backyard Bash highlights how much fun can be had even when plans fall apart.\nFrom School Library Journal\nPreS-Gr 2—Zuri's parents agree to her idea for an end-of-summer party, but when she hears their plans (for '80s music and olive Jell-O) she knows she has to take over. She rallies her sister, Remi, their dog, Sherlock Hound, and a diverse group of friends from school, church, and swim class to plan a perfect party, including food, decorations, and entertainment. The planning and the party itself go well at first, but then catastrophe strikes (squirrel, dog chase). Zuri wants everyone to go home, but her parents' comfort and good advice ("It doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be fun" and "Sometimes things don't go as planned") help her recover and carry on. Zuri's mom is dark-skinned with curly black hair, and her dad is white, with blondish-brown hair. Zuri Ray (Zuri Ray Tries Ballet) shares an inclusive vibe and problem-solving attitude with Saadia Faruqi's early reader series, "Meet Yasmin." The vibrant, animated illustrations are great fun, especially the perspective of the dog chase, with a dotted line enabling readers to follow the action. VERDICT An excellent story of initiative, planning, and what to do when plans go awry; highly recommended.—Jenny Arch