This is a picture book that does exactly what it sets out to do: help little kids feel seen when they're worried about fitting in. The teasing is realistic but not mean-spirited, and the resolution is sweet without being saccharine.

It's been a classroom favorite for 30+ years because it works—teachers use it to kick off conversations about kindness, and kids genuinely connect with Chrysanthemum's emotional journey. The illustrations are lovely, the pacing is gentle, and the message lands without being preachy.

Is it groundbreaking? No. But it's a solid, comforting, useful book that belongs on the shelf of any family with early elementary kids. It's the kind of story you read together, talk about, and then reference later when your kid comes home upset about something a classmate said.