Barbara Cooney's pictures in soft green and brown with accents of red and blue, bring the delight of woody New England countryside and a neat small town, to an engaging story of new friends made. On his fifth birthday Peter's wish, with a condition that he must make it work himself, is granted. He's old enough to go to school and so will have playmates. His long walk to the village, in midsummer, holds the disappointment that school wont begin till fall, but on the way home he runs into a rabbit, a fox, a coon and further realizes theirs and the farm animals' companionship.