“YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND!” by Peter Brown, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $16.99 (ages 4-8)
Today is the day Lucy is going to make a friend, she just knows it. The forest is full of critters. At least one of them is gonna want to be her friend, right?
Things start out well, with a critter inviting her to play, but things don’t quite work out.
Lucy continues her search and comes across a lot of friendly looking critters. She tries really hard, being helpful, asking questions, but things never turn out the way she hopes.
The thing is, Lucy can be a bit intense, and sometimes her exuberance gets misinterpreted. It looks as if Lucy will never find a new friend, or will she?
Young readers might remember Lucy from one of author Peter Brown’s other books, “Children Make Terrible Pets.” As with Lucy’s previous book, engaging illustrations are paired with clever, though sparse, text.
Young readers will recognize and understand Lucy’s loneliness and share with her the frustrations of finding a friend who is the right fit. This humorous look at learning to be independent but still needing a friend is an entertaining read from beginning to end.
