The Stuffie Stand

Frost (Cats on Cats on Cats) stuffs this smartly paced tale of unlikely partnership with charming visuals and gentle comedy. Budding entrepreneur Moose is a stuffie artisan whose handmade creations boast a simple design, “just the right amount of squish,” and a serious cute factor. When he cuts a window into his sewing shed and hangs out his shingle, business booms—but an overwhelming amount of custom orders result in overwork, sloppy craftsmanship, and complaints (“This acorn is stuffed with actual acorns,” a squirrel laments). Reluctantly, Moose takes on a partner: pale-skinned human child Mabel, a stuffie enthusiast whose freewheeling work habits and bedazzle-everything aesthetic are a far cry from Moose’s tidy, minimalist style. But as the duo build inventory and reopen the stand, Moose finds that the different approaches not only complement each other but also rack up sales. Droll, thinly outlined digital cartooning captures the clash of personalities, the plethora of plushies, and the array of animal customers. Stitched together neatly, it’s a buoyant story of how collaboration, like a beloved stuffie, works best when it has a little give. Ages 4–8. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (June)