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by Rosina L. Eller (Author), Vicktoria M. Eller Castillo (Illustrator)
In this heartwarming story, Rose is nervous as her family moves across the country to a new home, a new neighborhood, and of course, a new school. Though her mom tries to encourage her to see that the change would be a good one, Rose worries about leaving her old life behind. With her mother's reassurance, she starts to see that the move can be an adventure.
Believing that this adventure would be challenging, in hopes of making a new best friend and adjusting to her new school, Rose puts a plan together. Feeling inspired, she creates a list of traits she hopes will help her find a new best friend.
Determined and hopeful, Rose starts school the next day and meets several friendly classmates, including Gail, who quickly becomes her companion. As they had their lunch, the new classmates started discussing the big race that would take place at the end of the week, involving the third and fourth graders. They all got excited, especially knowing that one of Rose's skills was running.
On race day, Rose, Gail, and Izzy are leading the pack when Rose trips and falls. Gail stops to help, sacrificing her chance to win. Even though neither Rose nor Gail wins the race, both girls understand that sometimes the winner of the race is not the one who comes in first.
At home, Rose reviews her week and realizes that Gail matches everything on her list-and more. They have bonded over twirling and spinning at recess, pretending to be buzzing bumblebees during a playdate, and even over how they dress. As the day ends, Rose understands that the move brought her something truly special: a best friend. Her worries melt away, and she feels at home in her new life, looking forward to the future.
