Can it get any cuter? I don’t think so!

The book has one book- two stories format where we see two perspectives side by side. The context aligns throughout to give us a heartwarming and beautiful ending.

Joe is scared and sad about his first day at a new school in a new town. Mae is eager to find the new kid and become friends with him. How else will he enjoy school? What follows is their story, side by side, and they finally find each other to become friends.

Mae is an absolute sweetheart and sparkling little girl. Her cardboard space helmet and two flying pigtails are super cute. Joe is more subdued, worried, and insecure about finding his footing in a new environment.

The illustrations and little bits of text tell the story with ease. The colors are bold and attractive, just like Mae on her side, and the colors on Joe’s side are softer to show his vulnerability. When the two stories merge, the colors are a delightful combination of soft and bold.

I love the representation in this one. A school ground with kids of all skin tones and hair colors makes it such a lovely place to be.

To sum up, A New Friend is a delightful story about making new friends and having fun at school.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.

#ANewFriend #NetGalley

*****

And Rosh, thank you again for the recco. I was so sad about missing the first book in the series and might have missed this one too, if not for you.