Book 194 of 350 ~ 2025

🌟🌟🌟🌟

With your best friend, you don't need all the frills... all you need is each other.

Sweet story.

For a moment I thought it had a dark twist and Tilly had died. Eep.

I received a complimentary copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Format: E-Book/ARC Children’s Picture Book received In exchange for honest review

Audience: Ages 4–8

Read-Aloud Tested: ✔️ (with my rising first-grade twins!)


💬 Mom's Perspective:
This book was such a sweet surprise. It follows a little girl who’s waiting for her best friend Tilly to come over, and while she waits, her imagination takes off—drawing out all the wild, wonderful things they’ll do together. But as her ideas grow bigger and more elaborate, Tilly slowly gets pushed out of the picture.

As a parent, I found that it reminded me how easy it is,even for adults, to get so wrapped up in our own excitement or plans that we lose sight of the people we’re actually trying to connect with. The story doesn’t lecture or correct; it just gently shows how imagination can sometimes take over, and how that can shift our focus without us even realizing it.

The illustrations are vibrant and full of personality. I loved how the little girl’s drawings evolved, each page felt like a peek into her creative mind. And even though she kind of forgot about Tilly by the end, her enthusiasm was infectious.

👧🏾👧🏾 Twins’ Perspective:
My twins were completely hooked. They loved spotting new things on every page—the cat , the dragon, the unicorn, the elephant that was all over the place, the garden that was being eaten by the unicorn, the toilet paper roll inventions. They were pointing things out nonstop and adding their own ideas: “Maybe the dragon shoots fire!” and “Mom, what if the garden grows fruit and they eat it all?”

And here’s the funny part—they forgot about Tilly too. Just like the little girl in the story, they got so caught up in the adventure that they didn’t even notice her fading from the pages until the end. When I asked them about it, they were like, “Oh yeah! Where was she?”

That moment really stuck with me. It showed how deeply they connected with the story—not just visually, but emotionally. They were living inside the little girl’s imagination, and it felt like they were part of the creative process.


💡 Final Thoughts:
My Best Friend Tilly is a warm, whimsical read that opens up conversations about friendship, imagination, and presence.This story gently reminds us not to forget about what's important.

Recommended for: Parents, teachers, and caregivers who love stories that blend heart and humor—and who know what it’s like to get swept up in a child’s wild ideas.

Twin Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from two very enthusiastic first-graders (who may or may not be planning their own cardboard zoo now).

This was a delightful read! The story is engaging and age-appropriate, with fun illustrations that help bring the characters to life.