Can I Sit Here? was a wonderfully surprising book. What started out as a worthwhile exploration of one child's feeling of loneliness and embarrassment on her first day of school shifted seamlessly into that same child's process of turning her gaze outward and thinking of others. Being reminded of how loved she truly is encourages her to consider the feelings of children besides herself who may be feeling lonely. Rather than stewing on her own loneliness, she looks outside of herself, and learns that you can be thoughtful and kind to those around you even when you are feeling left out. Chances are, you are not the only person who is feeling lonely or sad, and you can be the friend that somebody else needs. I really liked the gentle turning points of the book, and how the character grew so much, even in a tale of such brevity.

A nice book for young elementary age students and a reminder that making friends is not easy for everyone. A good reminder for adults, too.

This book was a sweet tale about how hard it can be being the new kid and trying to make friends. The way she found her way through her own determination and faith was nice. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to my friends who have children!!