Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A young girl introduces her new best friend, who is smart and she laughs at everything.  The two friends like to run around, quacking like ducks, then sit quietly under a tree.  Even though one loves strawberry ice cream and the other hates it, they are still friends.  When they’re drawing, she draws her friend and her friend draws her, and they make hearts around their pictures.  “She is my best friend I think.  I’ve never had a best friend so I’m not sure.”  As the two girls go their separate ways, each with a parent, the narrator reveals that they don’t know each other’s names, but they can find out tomorrow “because we are best friends.”  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  As she did in When’s My Birthday?, Julie Fogliano perfectly captures the voice of a very young child and explores what it’s like to instantly become friends with someone new.  Caldecott honoree Jillian Tamaki explores their friendship in green and peach illustrations surrounded by white space; she’s deserving of some Caldecott consideration once again for this book.

Cons:  I have a personal preference for illustrations using a wider palette of colors.

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