Kirkus Review

Hilary is a tea party connoisseur. She knows how to make invitations, plan the seating and make the rules. Unfortunately, her rules are too strict; though she always makes four invitations, only she, her teddy bear and her strong man doll, Mr. Big Arms, typically attend. But Hilary has a plan; she leaves an invitation by the bus stop and a trail of cookies to her house. A chameleon arrives as a result, but he rejects her rules and departs, taking the cookies and Mr. Strong Arms with him. Hilary's teddy bear joins them. The new friends decide to have their own tea party, but lucky for Hilary, they've set a place for her, too. While it's refreshing to see an ethnic heroine--Hilary is probably half-Asian--some may object to her inviting a stranger in, though the book's absurdist quality essentially negates any real parallel. Quirky and appealing illustrations accompany this tale of a girl who learns a lesson about bossiness and flexibility. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.