Ways to Make Friends

This sublime picture book offers gentle guidance to all readers, from reluctant youngsters in prickly social situations to more experienced friendship seekers needing a refresher. Peppered among moments of pure hilarity and suggested creative outlets are nuggets of encouragement meant to bolster compassion.

Every creatively interpreted spread... is chock-full of friendly-looking, personality-filled creatures of many different species--potential pals, all. And introverts, rejoice. The best and most self-empowering advice for those who find themselves depleted after a long day of socializing appears at the end: But if by late afternoon you get tired of making friends, just be by yourself and forget everything that this book has told you.

PreS-Gr 2--A young frog offers earnest advice to anyone looking to make a friend. There's good advice ("Say hi to the shy kid who never says hi to anyone"); silly advice ("You can dress up like an apple or a pear and give away a pear or an apple"); and advice that is questionable at best ("When you are at your aunt's house, you can free a bird"). And if none of it works, the narrator suggests becoming your own best friend by learning a few ways to entertain yourself. By the end of the book, the narrator has indeed made a couple of friends, and the end papers show all the young creatures interacting happily. Comical illustrations just this side of surreal done with colored pens and digital colors show a skewed world with a diverse cast of animal (and insect and plant) characters learning to navigate new relationships. This is certain to spark lively debate at story hours. VERDICT Best when shared with youngsters along with a conversation about good and not-so-good ways to pursue friendship.--Mara Alpert

The art reminds me of the friendly animal world of Richard Scarry....A fun and silly way to think about friendship and self sufficiency for the very young. —Youth Services Book Review

Sweet and funny with helpful but quirky advice, you will love this book's gentle message about kindness toward others as well as learning how to be your own best friend....I adore this book! —Imagination Soup

First grade books about friendship are essential for starting the school year. Toad has lots of quirky ideas for making friends that are great for class discussion. We appreciate that this book also acknowledges that working on making friends can be tiring sometimes; time alone can feel good too. —We Are Teachers

Praise for The Lion and the Mouse written by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

An intelligent glimpse at how a friendship between unlikely candidates might be possible. A stellar addition for all collections.—School Library Journal, STARRED Review

Jairo Buitrago's retelling of the classic fable "The Lion and the Mouse" is likely to have early readers giggling with glee... . The entertaining text and superb illustrations combine to spark new life in this old tale of kindness, compassion and friendship. —Shelf Awareness, STARRED Review

A grand, morally opulent retelling with a message for our age. —Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year

A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of the Year

A USBBY Outstanding International Book

...it's a masterpiece of understatement. In leaving readers with much to wonder about, the book packs the most powerful of punches.—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review