I Am a Good Friend

In this picture book about a bright-eyed child eager to connect with local woodland creatures, Harper (I Cannot Draw a Horse) and Climo (First Day Critter Jitters) suggest that good intentions without genuine consideration can miss the mark entirely. Carrying a lunch box and a red handkerchief, the pale-skinned girl plays hide-and-seek with the squirrels’ hidden acorns, removes a peckish snail from its leaf snack to present it with a personalized storytime, and eats lunch far too near some hungry crows while convinced she’s the perfect companion—even imagining the squirrels’ chatter as “She’s amazing! She’s the best nut-finder ever!” Through third-person text, readers understand that the child is attempting to follow friendship maxims around playing fair, being a good winner, and saying please, but her by-the-book approach critically lacks empathy. The weary squirrels actually want to hide acorns for winter, the snail simply desires to eat undisturbed, and the crows seem to feel taunted by her. When realization dawns, the rigid rules transform into a capacity for perspective-shifting—rooted in respecting others’ space, asking before taking, and making amends. Unembellished clear-line digital cartooning earnestly underscores the core message: connection means thinking about what others need. Ages 4–6. (Feb.)