Petal and Poppy

As she did in Felicity & Cordelia: A Tale of Two Bunnies, Clough pairs up an adventure seeker and a worrywart in this addition to the publisher’s Green Light Readers line of leveled readers. Though Petal the elephant enjoys practicing her tuba, her playing (“BAH-BWAB-BAAH!”) irks rhino Poppy, who decides to go scuba diving to escape the din. Imagining the calamities that might await her friend, Petal insists on accompanying Poppy in her sailing dinghy. The sound of Petal’s music guides Poppy to the boat when she gets lost in the fog, and Poppy in turn rescues Petal after she jumps in the water to look for her friend. The story unfolds entirely through the characters’ tidy dialogue and musings, which appear in speech and thought balloons. Briant’s (Don’t Look Now) illustrations also play a vital role in the storytelling; the action moves forward in rectangular comics-style panels, and the bright teals and oranges of his palette help make the friends’ seaside home feel inviting and picturesque. This odd couple also stars in Petal and Poppy and the Penguin, due simultaneously. Ages 6–8. (Apr.)