BLUE BADGER AND THE BIG BREAKFAST

Two busy friends eventually make time for each other.

Badger has so many berries to eat that there’s no time to play with friends. That’s convenient, since Badger’s friend Dog is too busy to play. But when Owl explains that Dog can’t play because he is searching for his lost ball, Badger has an existential crisis. Could Badger have seen the ball—and even eaten it by accident? (The ball was blue, like the berries.) What should Badger do? Owl answers with a string of unhelpful platitudes (“The storm will pass. The early bird catches the worm. We all make mistakes”) that could be the basis for follow-up storytime discussion. Badger is quick to accept possible responsibility for the lost ball, apologize to Dog, and offer an alternative plan. Friends don’t need a ball to play when they are together and there are plenty of berries to toss! And Dog is philosophical. Maybe his ball will turn up someday. Readers with a sharp eye will know where the lost ball is before the final reveal. This second installment in Lewis Jones and Sanders’ Blue Badger series features textured black-and-white depictions of animals set against colored backgrounds with minimal details. Blue highlights in the illustrations take over the pages as the narrative progresses. Brimming with visual humor, this simple story quietly models compassion and accountability for one’s actions. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A clever and attractive tale laced with a solid message on how to be a good friend.