TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU

Rabbit and Pig join the ranks of duos that grapple with the intricacies of friendship—and impressively stand out.

Small, gray Rabbit adores Pig so much that he is writing a list of 10 favorite things he loves about his porcine pal. While Pig is touched, he is also “kind of busy.” As Rabbit repeatedly interrupts and often annoys Pig, his friend’s exasperated remarks actually inspire more “things” for Rabbit’s list. Both young readers and adults will chuckle as Rabbit’s unflappable good nature and earnest requests for help progressively take a toll on Pig’s patience. When Pig begs Rabbit to leave him alone with a strongly expressed “PLEASE, RABBIT,” Rabbit smiles and writes, “Number 7—I love Pig because he is polite and always says please.” In less-deft hands this back and forth could grow tiresome, but Kirk gets the comic timing just right. His pictures engage the eye as well, with a technique in which painted wood panels and ink-on-paper drawings are scanned and then digitally augmented with colors and more textures. The story comes full circle when Rabbit notices a sheet of paper that Pig has dropped.

Although great for reading aloud, put this at the top of the list for using as a springboard for creative writing or a discussion starter about what qualities make a good friend.