
Are We Still Friends? By Ruth HorowitzIllustrated by Blanca GomezBest for: Ages 4-8
Friendship has its ups and downs. Horowitz explores how a simple misunderstanding can turn into a big falling out between even the best of friends. Beatrice raises bees. Abel grows apples. They do everything together and love it. Then one spring, Abel gets stung by a bee and a misunderstanding leads to a fight. It's not until another incident occurs that Beatrice and Abel discover how to make up and say they are sorry.
Horowitz creates a believable friendship that helps children learn to overcome disagreements. She has fun entertaining readers with tame but creative insults and onomatopoeic words. The illustrations offer a nice complement to the text, creating a warm approachable world for Beatrice, Abel and young readers.
What’s good: Warm and inviting illustrations. What’s bad: The text could be a little long for some antsy young readers. Play with Me! By Michelle LeeBest for: Ages 4-8
Do you and your friends always enjoy the same stuff? Probably not. Michelle Lee explores how two friends with different ideas of playing come together in the end for a perfect playtime. Pip is a high-energy pig that likes to pretend, play tag and jump rope. Nico likes to play his cello. When Pip invites Nico to play, there is a little confusion about what to play, and Pip gets angry. Not to worry. Once Nico understands that Pip is not having fun, he comes up with the perfect way for them to play together.
With an economy of words and simple watercolor illustrations, Lee creates two wonderful personalities and allows readers to invest quickly in the characters and their playtime.
What’s good: Expressive illustrations draw readers into the story. What’s bad: Not much. The Secret Keepers By Trenton Lee StewartBest for: Ages 10-13
What would you do if you found a magic watch that made you invisible? All Reuben Pedley wants is a better life for himself and his mom. So when he finds a watch that gives him the power of invisibility, he thinks his dreams are about to come true. Then he realizes that with the watch come a lot of questions, a nefarious baddie who also wants it, new friends and a big, dangerous mystery. Like Stewart's Benedict Society series, The Secret Keepers is full of twists, turns and magic.
What’s good: Interesting mystery that keeps you guessing.
What’s bad: The pacing is uneven, with the beginning being very slow.