FOREVER FRIENDS FARM

The animals at Forever Friends Farm welcome Jasper the cat into the fold, but he has some things to learn about being a good pal.

P.J. the goose is having a party to celebrate that he read a book by himself. He invites Jasper to join in the fun, but Jasper isn’t a natural fit. He doesn’t help with party prep, gobbles up all the cookies before anyone else can have one, and then accidentally smashes the party cake. The animals aren’t deterred; they forgive Jasper and reassure him that he’s still welcome at the celebration. Their supportive attitudes are sweet, if unrealistically rosy, but they never discuss how they feel about his thoughtless actions, nor does Jasper explain why he behaved the way he did. Instead, he switches gears quite effortlessly, slicing apples for the group and joining in with some party games. Bright, cartoony illustrations feature pops of action that will appeal to kids. The book offers some nods to inclusivity (P.J. uses an inhaler, Jasper has a leg brace, and Lola the cow uses some Spanish words), all of which is laudable but feels a bit forced. The final page features the lyrics to a song called “We Are Glad You’re Here!” (sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”) with a QR code to listen in.

Gentle though unconvincing lessons on friendship and belonging.