Parents' Guide to

Bink & Gollie

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Friendship flourishes in fun graphic novel for younger set.

Book Kate DiCamillo, Alison McGhee Friendship 2010
Bink & Gollie Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 2 parent reviews

brryswt29
brryswt29 Parent of 2 and 8-year-old
April 16, 2011
age 8+

great book

My son and I loved the book, it was funny, full of pictures and a joy to read. Can't wait for the next adventure.
pegona
pegona Parent of 8-year-old
March 11, 2011
age 6+

Funny, great drawings, engaging

Wonderful story. Little brother and big sister - great to showcase feelings and love.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Two girls, who seem very different in many respects, learn what it takes to become "marvelous companions" in three stories that show the ups and downs of friendship. Bink seems like the younger of the two, and Gollie older and more mature -- but both girls have lessons to learn about compromise, personal space, and dealing with jealous feelings. In one story, for example, Gollie feels competitive with Bink's new pet fish.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Kids will love Bink and warm to Gollie. One is impish, playful, and spontaneous, like most kids; the other more independent, thoughtful, and a little stand-offish (though she makes great pancakes!) Even the way they walk, talk, and tie their roller-skates says something about them. The stories in BINK & GOLLIE are engagingly light and silly, but readers will get a feel for the pain of trying to make a friendship work, especially when you are a kid. The text is minimal but just enough to get the point across, the vocabulary is expressive, and the artwork fills in the emotion.

The story is warm and cuddly cute, but the illustrations are truly what make this book captivating. Tony Fucile's digitally composed artwork is animated with just enough clever, quirky, expressive detail to make the story fascinating. Putting that golden dot under the ice in the frozen pond was a stroke of genius.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the illustrations in Bink & Gollie show us how different the girls are. What can you tell about them from the cover, even before you begin the story?

  • Bink and Gollie are pretty different -- but they are still the best of friends. Why do you think they get along so well?

  • Can you think of other books about friends who are opposites?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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