Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  Two animals tell their stories: Monkey is stranded on a dessert island made of chocolate, frosting, and berries, while Fox is stuck on a rocky desert island.  While Monkey is feasting on cake, Fox is going hungry.  When a berry falls off the cake, Fox is thrilled to scoop it up as it floats by.  Fox plants one of the berry’s seeds, and a rainstorm helps grow a plant–and starts washing away Monkey’s cake.  The plant proves key to Monkey’s rescue, and the last berry from the cake allows the two new friends to start over.  The final spread shows the two friends on a desert island with a berry plant flourishing, and their thought: “We are very lucky.”  40 pages; ages 3-8.  

Pros:  This picture book debut tells a simple story, but could spark some interesting discussions about kindness, cooperation, and how quickly fortunes can change.  Monkey and Fox are a pretty cute pair; it would be great to see more about what transpires on their desert island.

Cons:  Despite the berry plant, the desert island situation doesn’t seem sustainable.