A FRIEND IS A FRIEND IS A FRIEND

In the third and final volume of their empathic Who We Are series, O’Leary and Leng reunite to explore and celebrate various paths toward friendship.

“Summer camp is a great place to make friends,” a pale-skinned, ginger-haired child comments, adding a doubtful, irreverent, “Apparently.” Surrounded by dozens of arriving campers who quickly pair off, the child ponders, “But what’s the best way to make a friend?” Plenty of bolstering advice from the other kids follows: ask questions, listen to each other, discover similarities, enjoy adventures, be kind, and share what you have. One of the kids notes, “I have a lot of friends here, but my best friend is my grandpa.” Friends might speak different languages; they can even be invisible. Two youngsters point out that friendships can be multigenerational: “Our moms were friends when they were kids.” “And if we have kids, then our kids will be friends.” The verdict is clear: “Turns out that the best way to make a friend is to be one.” O’Leary keeps her exuberant, encouraging text rife with humor (“We’ll still be friends when we are really, really old. Like thirty-seven”). Once more, Leng enhances O’Leary’s words with her whimsical and winsome signature ink, marker, and watercolor illustrations. The children are widely diverse, with a particularly inclusive nod to a transgender friend; Leng pictures the two huddled BFFs appreciating books under a wooden structure prominently topped with a “WELCOME” sign.

An irresistibly charming conclusion to the creators’ beloved trilogy.