BEST FRIEND TROUBLE

Uh-oh!

Friendly rivalry turns to out-and-out competition when Hanna, a raccoon, and Lizzy, a skunk, argue about who can throw a ball the farthest. The two are best friends—or at least they were until this most recent disagreement. It seems to Hanna that Lizzy is better at just about everything, and she’s very proud of it, too! Appealing, cartoonlike watercolor-and-pencil illustrations show the indignant raccoon as she visits her brother, father, mother, and pet hamster and deals with her frustrations by hammering nails, playing cymbals, drawing a picture, reflecting and plain old complaining. As Hanna works through a situation that will seem familiar to anyone who has ever had a friend, she is met with the good advice, patience and understanding that enable her to speak with Lizzy when they’ve both calmed down. Lizzy, it turns out, feels much the same way, and after talking things out and somewhat begrudgingly acknowledging each others’ strengths, the two find a way to play that brings out the best in both of them.

A warm, pithy navigation of the ups and downs of friendship, this straightforward selection points out the necessity of catharsis and the satisfaction of compromise.