A FRIEND

Bley provides readers with a comprehensive list of the traits that a good friend has, from the relatively easy things, like playing together on a rainy day and helping when needed, to the more difficult ones, like stepping back and allowing independence and having the courage to tell the truth. Being a good friend involves some finesse and also some intimate knowledge of your pal: “Someone who shows me the way...when I feel lost. / Someone who lets me find my own way...when I am ready.” The mixed-media illustrations are rich in texture and tongue-in-cheek humor: A child holding out a plate for the dog to lick illustrates the concept that friends share when they are hungry...and when they are not. The split-panel design allows multiple concepts to appear on a spread and also at times extend a scene over a page turn. The borderline-stereotypical image of pale- and outsized-lipped black characters is an unfortunate misstep in an otherwise valuable springboard for discussions of friendship, whether in the classroom, at home or in a storytime setting. (Picture book. 3-10)