Margaret and Margarita

Written and illustrated by Lynn Reiser

1996 HarperCollins  

Margaret and Margarita is a picture book that demonstrates the innocence of children as a blessing. Both girls, along with their mothers, go to the park. While the mothers sit on the same park bench and do not engage in conversation due to their “language barrier”, the girls meet on the playground and become friends. The girls play, laugh, and learn new words in the other’s language.

This is a story that depicts both adults as being unwilling to communicate until their children show them how. It is a wonderful example of what children are able to overlook and what adults create as obstacles to initiate a friendship. Besides the exceptional way that Reiser deals with the difficult subject matter that is so prevalent in today’s society, the story is charming and the illustrations appealing both in color and contrast.