ALICIA’S BEST FRIENDS

The inimitable Alicia grapples with the problem of jealous friends in this wise tale from Jahn-Clough (Alicia Has a Bad Day, 1994). Alicia adores all of her friends; she plays soccer with Mitchell, paints with Charlotte, laughs with Henry, and explores entomology with Lucy. To demonstrate her powerful affection for these buddies, Alicia decides to throw a “best friend” celebration. However, her guests of honor demand to know which one of them is really Alicia’s best friend. Frustrated by her quandary, Alicia declares her dog, Neptune, to be her closest pal. However, she soon discovers the companionship of a canine falls short of human friendship. Jahn-Clough presents a familiar childhood dilemma with compassion and honesty. Readers struggling with this issue will find humorous relief in Alicia’s exploits and salvation in her ingenious solution to the problem. After much internal debate, Alicia declares each one of her friends to be a best friend in a particular category, declaring one to be her best soccer friend, while another is her best painting friend, diplomatically acknowledging each individual’s special attribute. The brightly hued illustrations sparkle with the energy and vivacity of Alicia’s personality. The cartoon-style paintings reveal Alicia’s turmoil while retaining a healthy dose of humor. Alicia handles a thorny issue with her usual panache; readers will rejoice in the return of this spunky, bespectacled heroine. (Picture book. 4-8)