SPEAK YOUR HEART

A young girl and her ursine pal learn to listen.

Brown-skinned, curly-haired Coco and Bear have been BFFs their whole life. Today, Bear proposes building a snow castle; Coco says she loves the idea of a snow fort. Bear corrects her (“Well, actually, I said castle”), but Coco doesn’t listen and enlists their friends’ assistance in constructing her fort. Bear offers suggestions, but Coco tunes him out. Frustrated at not being heard, Bear explodes (“Listen to me, Coco!”). Quilber the porcupine urges the friends to take a timeout, but Bear’s too steamed to pay attention and storms off. Baby Deer has a heart-to-heart with Bear, letting him vent but telling him that he needs to practice his own listening skills—she points out that he refused to hear Quilber out. Meanwhile, Quilber tells Coco that her bossiness has alienated the others. Eventually, Bear and Coco apologize to each other—and to Quilber and Baby Deer—and everyone devises a useful communication strategy before resuming their snow play. Stott’s thought-provoking story about friendship conveys a fine message about listening patiently and respectfully. The protagonists are well realized, with relatable flaws, and learn and grow from their mistakes. Stott’s graceful illustrations, rendered in watercolor paint and digital ink, portray endearing characters who value each other.

A sweet, well-told story with important lessons on navigating friendship tensions.