My Best Friend

"I have a new friend/ and her hair is black/ and it shines/ and it shines/ and she always laughs at everything." Fogliano (Just in Case You Want to Fly) captures the feeling of giddy infatuation when a child first meets another and feels an instant bond--it's an early form of falling in love. The speaker is a wide-eyed girl with a red ponytail; the new friend wears round glasses and a delighted look. "She is so smart," the speaker confides--she can strip a leaf down to make a "skeleton hand," and weaves together the stems of trodden-on flowers so they don't look so smashed ("she helps me fix them/ sort of"). Swinging, dancing in dizzy spirals, and games of chase lead to a string of new discoveries ("she is my best friend/ i think/ i've never had a best friend," the girl confides, "so i'm not sure"). Rust and olive vignettes by Tamaki (They Say Blue) burst with energy that seems boundless, and closer inspection reveals elegantly controlled draftsmanship portraying muffled laughter and scribbled chalk lines. Young children have big feelings, and discovering someone their own age who adores them back is an event worth celebrating. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.)

PreS-Gr 1—What are the qualities that make a best friend? Does her hair shine and her laugh fill the air? Does she hate strawberry ice cream? Beginning at a tire swing on a playground, two young girls spend a fun-filled day together, laughing, playing, and pretending as they explore the park and learn about each other. Whether they're enjoying a quiet moment together or laughing into their knees to keep from being too loud, the world seems to have stopped just for them. Despite their differences, and especially the fact that one loves strawberry ice cream while the other detests it, they have all the makings of the best of friends—all before they learn each other's name! Little girls and their parents will fall in love with this book from the first page. Riveting, dynamic illustrations create the backdrop of this story, presented in the muted hues of sunset. The pencil lines are defined while simultaneously disappearing to give way to the larger images. Each line of text sounds like it came from the diary of a young girl, including very few uses of punctuation or capital letters. Paired beautifully with the illustrations, the combination draws readers into the whimsical and exciting moments of a budding new friendship. VERDICT Children will happily recognize their first experiences with close friendship as they read this book, losing themselves in the emotions that are so aptly captured.—Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library