Plus One

New in town and eager to make friends, Agnes, portrayed with tan skin, invites several girls from school and their plus-ones to a “fancy tea party.” An invitation also ends up in the hands of neighbor Dave, who shows up ready to party, wearing heavy black boots and a striped tie over a sleeveless t-shirt. Even before Agnes deems this uninvited guest a “strange kid,” and dismisses Dave for lacking a plus-one, readers may sense that Dave is something of a social outlier—digitally finished slice-of-life acrylic paintings show the pale-skinned child standing solo outside the kids’ school and snagging an invite that falls to the sidewalk. But Dave is also persistent, reappearing with a succession of unusual plus-ones, including a gregarious goose named “Pierre of the North, Esquire,” and, touchingly, “my mom” (“She gives great hugs, makes amazing French toast, and will let me win at tag”). With none of the intended guests in sight, Agnes relents, discovering in the process that Dave and pals make good company. Hare (Field Trip to the Moon) proffers this tale of inclusion with a light touch, gently underscoring the message that it’s good to be open to new friends. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)