EVELYN AND AVERY

An art contest sparks a big argument.

Evelyn is an excitable young girl who’s ready to take on the art world. Armed with a flyer for a local competition, she heads to idyllic Picnic Hill Park to meet up with her friends Dylan, a mercurial kid with an undercut hairstyle, and Avery, an affectionate, anthropomorphic skunk. Lacking inspiration but eager to win, Dylan starts to complain. Evelyn suggests that the three of them enter the contest as a group, though Avery is hesitant. Soon, Dylan starts bossing Avery around. A yelling match ensues, and Avery storms off. Evelyn tries to help her friends separately but only gets further entangled—which doesn’t leave her much time for her own creative aspirations. This is a surprisingly intense story of young friends in conflict, with Evelyn’s mom serving as a gentle, empathetic confidant for both her frustrated daughter and her apologetic friends. Their nurturing bond helps Evelyn grow as she confronts a challenging situation, and eventually Dylan and Avery find a way to help Evelyn shine. Pierre’s illustrations have a bubbly, lighthearted energy, and her characters physically express big emotions: Tear-filled eyes brim to overflowing on many occasions, but happy hugs abound as well. Evelyn and her mom are Black, Dylan is tan-skinned, and fellow contestants include a kangaroo and a girl in a headscarf.

A cute yet complex tale about solving conflicts with creative solutions.