Carolyn Crimi

Don't Need Friends

Don't Need Friends is about a cantankerous rat who decides he doesn't need friends after his best friend moves away. I happen to like this book a lot, but a funny thing happens when my friends read it. They always say, "It sounds just like you!" Needless to say, I find this comment very disturbing. The main character is a rat, for crying out loud. What, exactly, are my friends trying to tell me?

Another curious comment I get when I tell people the title of my book is, "But Carolyn, children do need friends." I guess they think I've written a how-to book on how not to have friends. I like to look at them with my best fake surprised expression and say "Oh, really? You think so?" I mean honestly, that's what they get for saying such a dumb thing.

I must mumble at times, because other people actually think I'm saying that the title is "Don't Eat Friends," which, now that I think of it, is a darn good idea for my next picture book.

I think the best part of this book are the illustrations. Lynn Munsinger is simply the most wonderful children's book illustrator in the world, as far as I'm concerned. I love the expressions she draws on her characters' faces.

Don't Need Friends is my favorite book I've ever written. It's also my husband's favorite. In fact, I dedicated it to him, The King Rat.

To listen to a podcast about Don't Need Friends go to:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/index.php?s=Carolyn+Crimi

Awards:
Kentucky BlueGrass Award for Best Picture Book, 2001
Runner Up for Midland Author's Best Children's Fiction
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best in 1999
Children's Book of the Month Club Selection
Maryland State Award Nominee
Flicker Tale Award Nominee
North Carolina State Award Nominee
Wyoming Buckaroo Award Nominee

Reviews:
Publisher's Weekly, November 8, 1999, Starred Review:
"Crimi and Munsinger are in perfect sync in this slyly funny and deeply touching story. . . Crimi's tight, deft prose mines Dog and Rat's petulance for all its comedy and poignancy, while Munsinger offers up yet another memorable cast of all-too-human animals."

Horn Book, November/December, 1999:
"In a story tailor-made for Oscar the Grouch fans, Rat gives up on friendship after his best friend, Possum, moves to another junkyard: "Don't need friends, don't need 'em at all." The other junkyard animals try to exchange pleasantries with Rat, but he's rude to everyone, including the new guy, Dog. . .soon the two are friends, a transformation humorously and believable conveyed in a fine melding of art and text. The book neatly avoids sentimentality and closes with Rat's nifty new credo: 'Don't need many friends. . .Just need one.'"

Related Home & Classroom Activities:
Junkyard Town: create a town like the one Lynn Munsinger drew using boxes, plastic bottles, cardboard tubes and other recyclable items. Don't forget houses for Rat and Dog!

Acrostic Poem: have students write the word FRIEND vertically down the page. Then ask them to write a new line about friendship with each letter of the word.

Build a Sandwich: Rat and Dog are brought together by a foot long salami sandwich. Create your own sandwich at home or in the classroom with all the fixings.

Experiment with Watercolor: Lynn Munsinger uses watercolors to create her wonderful illustrations. Try experimenting with them by wetting a piece of watercolor paper, then applying the watercolor paint onto the wet paper for a soft, blurry effect.

Other Books About Friendship
Wanted: Best Friend, by A.M. Monson, illustrations by Lynn Munsinger.

Frog and Toad are Friends, written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel.

Pumpkin Soup, by Helen Cooper.



	*Don't Need Friends* Don't Need Friends is about a cantankerous rat who decides he doesn't need friends after his best friend moves away. I happen to like this book a lot, but a funny thing happens when my friends read it. They always say, "It sounds just like you!" Needless to say, I find this comment very disturbing. The main character is a rat, for crying out loud. What, exactly, are my friends trying to tell me? Another curious comment I get when I tell people the title of my book is, "But Carolyn, children do need friends." I guess they think I've written a how-to book on how not to have friends. I like to look at them with my best fake surprised expression and say "Oh, really? You think so?" I mean honestly, that's what they get for saying such a dumb thing. I must mumble at times, because other people actually think I'm saying that the title is "Don't Eat Friends," which, now that I think of it, is a darn good idea for my next picture book. I think the best part of this book are the illustrations. Lynn Munsinger is simply the most wonderful children's book illustrator in the world, as far as I'm concerned. I love the expressions she draws on her characters' faces. Don't Need Friends is my favorite book I've ever written. It's also my husband's favorite. In fact, I dedicated it to him, The King Rat. To listen to a podcast about Don't Need Friends go to: http://www.justonemorebook.com/index.php?s=Carolyn+Crimi Awards: Kentucky BlueGrass Award for Best Picture Book, 2001 Runner Up for Midland Author's Best Children's Fiction Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best in 1999 Children's Book of the Month Club Selection Maryland State Award Nominee Flicker Tale Award Nominee North Carolina State Award Nominee Wyoming Buckaroo Award Nominee Reviews: Publisher's Weekly, November 8, 1999, Starred Review: "Crimi and Munsinger are in perfect sync in this slyly funny and deeply touching story. . . Crimi's tight, deft prose mines Dog and Rat's petulance for all its comedy and poignancy, while Munsinger offers up yet another memorable cast of all-too-human animals." Horn Book, November/December, 1999: "In a story tailor-made for Oscar the Grouch fans, Rat gives up on friendship after his best friend, Possum, moves to another junkyard: "Don't need friends, don't need 'em at all." The other junkyard animals try to exchange pleasantries with Rat, but he's rude to everyone, including the new guy, Dog. . .soon the two are friends, a transformation humorously and believable conveyed in a fine melding of art and text. The book neatly avoids sentimentality and closes with Rat's nifty new credo: 'Don't need many friends. . .Just need one.'" Related Home & Classroom Activities: Junkyard Town: create a town like the one Lynn Munsinger drew using boxes, plastic bottles, cardboard tubes and other recyclable items. Don't forget houses for Rat and Dog! Acrostic Poem: have students write the word FRIEND vertically down the page. Then ask them to write a new line about friendship with each letter of the word. Build a Sandwich: Rat and Dog are brought together by a foot long salami sandwich. Create your own sandwich at home or in the classroom with all the fixings. Experiment with Watercolor: Lynn Munsinger uses watercolors to create her wonderful illustrations. Try experimenting with them by wetting a piece of watercolor paper, then applying the watercolor paint onto the wet paper for a soft, blurry effect. Other Books About Friendship Wanted: Best Friend, by A.M. Monson, illustrations by Lynn Munsinger. Frog and Toad are Friends, written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel. Pumpkin Soup, by Helen Cooper.