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Me & Neesie
Janell does everything with her best friend, Neesie, but Mama and Daddy can't seem to understand that Neesie's not made up. She's very real ... to Janell. In Me & Neesie , Eloise Greenfield offers a reassuring story about the special place an imaginary friend and a loving, caring family have in a little girl's heart. First published in 1975, Me & Neesie was selected as a Reading Rainbow book. This special thirtieth anniversary edition has been illustrated with new, vibrant paintings by Jan Spivey Gilchrist.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1975
About the author
Eloise Greenfield
66 books51 followersGreenfield was born Eloise Little in Parmele, North Carolina, and grew up in Washington, D.C., during the Great Depression in the Langston Terrace housing project, which provided a warm childhood experience for her.[1] She was the second oldest of five children of Weston W. Little and his wife Lessie Blanche (née Jones) Little (1906–1986). A shy and studious child, she loved music and took piano lessons.[2][3] Greenfield experienced racism first-hand in the segregated southern U.S., especially when she visited her grandparents in North Carolina and Virginia.[4] She graduated from Cardozo Senior High School in 1946 and attended Miner Teachers College until 1949. In her third year, however, she found that she was too shy to be a teacher and dropped out.[5]
Greenfield began work in the civil service at the U.S. Patent Office. In 1950, she married World War II veteran Robert J. Greenfield, a long-time friend. She began writing poetry and songs in the 1950s while working at the Patent Office, finally succeeding in getting her first poem published in the Hartford Times in 1962 after many years of writing and submitting poetry and stories.[6] After joining the District of Columbia Black Writers Workshop in 1971, she began to write books for children. She has published more than 40 children's books, including picture books, novels, poetry and biographies. She says that she seeks to "choose and order words that children will celebrate".[5][7]
Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships.[1] These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.[5] Her first book, Bubbles (1972), "sets the tone for much of Greenfield's later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life's challenges with a positive outlook."[1] In She Come Bringing Me that Little Baby Girl (1974), a boy deals with feelings of envy and learns to share his parents' love when his baby sister arrives. The poignant Alesia (1981) concerns the bravery of a girl handicapped by a childhood accident. Night on Neighborhood Street (1991) is a collection of poems depicting everyday life in an urban community. One of her best-known books, Honey I Love, first published in 1978, is a collection of poems for people of all ages concerning the daily lives and loving relationships of children and families. Her semi-autobiographical book Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir (1979) describes her happy childhood in a neighborhood with strong positive relationships.[5] In the introduction to that book, she explains her interest in biography:
People are a part of their time. They are affected, during the time that they live by the things that happen in their world. Big things and small things. A war, an invention such as radio or television, a birthday party, a kiss. All of these help to shape the present and the future. If we could know more about our ancestors, about the experiences they had when they were children, and after they had grown up, too, we would know much more about what has shaped us and our world.[8]
In 1971, Greenfield began work for the District of Columbia Black Writers' Workshop, as co-director of adult fiction and then, in 1973, as director of children's literature. That group's goal was to encourage the writing and publishing of African-American literature. She was writer-in-residence at the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1985-86 and taught creative writing in schools under grants from the Commission. She has also lectured and given free workshops on writing of African-American children's
Greenfield began work in the civil service at the U.S. Patent Office. In 1950, she married World War II veteran Robert J. Greenfield, a long-time friend. She began writing poetry and songs in the 1950s while working at the Patent Office, finally succeeding in getting her first poem published in the Hartford Times in 1962 after many years of writing and submitting poetry and stories.[6] After joining the District of Columbia Black Writers Workshop in 1971, she began to write books for children. She has published more than 40 children's books, including picture books, novels, poetry and biographies. She says that she seeks to "choose and order words that children will celebrate".[5][7]
Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships.[1] These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.[5] Her first book, Bubbles (1972), "sets the tone for much of Greenfield's later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life's challenges with a positive outlook."[1] In She Come Bringing Me that Little Baby Girl (1974), a boy deals with feelings of envy and learns to share his parents' love when his baby sister arrives. The poignant Alesia (1981) concerns the bravery of a girl handicapped by a childhood accident. Night on Neighborhood Street (1991) is a collection of poems depicting everyday life in an urban community. One of her best-known books, Honey I Love, first published in 1978, is a collection of poems for people of all ages concerning the daily lives and loving relationships of children and families. Her semi-autobiographical book Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir (1979) describes her happy childhood in a neighborhood with strong positive relationships.[5] In the introduction to that book, she explains her interest in biography:
People are a part of their time. They are affected, during the time that they live by the things that happen in their world. Big things and small things. A war, an invention such as radio or television, a birthday party, a kiss. All of these help to shape the present and the future. If we could know more about our ancestors, about the experiences they had when they were children, and after they had grown up, too, we would know much more about what has shaped us and our world.[8]
In 1971, Greenfield began work for the District of Columbia Black Writers' Workshop, as co-director of adult fiction and then, in 1973, as director of children's literature. That group's goal was to encourage the writing and publishing of African-American literature. She was writer-in-residence at the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1985-86 and taught creative writing in schools under grants from the Commission. She has also lectured and given free workshops on writing of African-American children's
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 28, 2011
Great story of a young girl and a special relationship with an imaginary friend.
September 26, 2018
I didn't expect to find this as cute as I did. The pictures turned me off* but the story was so engaging. The little girl's imaginary friend and the loss of that friend is written as a bit of a rite of passage. The imaginary friend doesn't want to go to school...and it seems that she can't. Once there are other children to play with she evaporates because she was never more than a coping mechanism. I am reminded of Bing Bong in Inside Out and I nearly teared up. So sweet.
*The edition that I read was sweet and moving but the images were dated; the type where only one colour is included and the read is black and white. So this was black and white and red. I assume the re-illustrated version is more engaging for young readers who are used to more colourful books.
*The edition that I read was sweet and moving but the images were dated; the type where only one colour is included and the read is black and white. So this was black and white and red. I assume the re-illustrated version is more engaging for young readers who are used to more colourful books.
January 22, 2012
Greenfield uses dialogue amongst many characters in order to develop the main character and her invisible friend. She also describes the physical movements of characters by weaving in one-liners with the dialogue.
Example: '"I know where I want to sit and I don't need no help." I saw her knees bend and her bottom start going down."'
Example: '"I know where I want to sit and I don't need no help." I saw her knees bend and her bottom start going down."'
December 3, 2013
Janell is having a hard time keeping her friend Neesie out of trouble when Aunt Bea comes to visit. She trys to explain to Mama and Papa that Neesie is really there, but no one seems to believe her. Janell knows that she shouldn't do every single thing Neesie tells her to, but Janell doesn't want to disappoint her friend, even if she is imaginary.
October 7, 2014
I do not recommend this book because of grammatical errors. The story is fantastic, however, the author uses sentences such as "she don't" instead of "she doesn't". If you want your child to develop excellent reading skills with excellent grasp on English language, and ultimately score high on SAT, get a better book.
July 16, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. A great book dealing with friendship. It's always good to have a friend to count on and always be there for you!!! Once you find someone like that, then keep them and don't ever let them go!!!!
October 2, 2014
Lose of invisible friend.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews