This Book is My Best Friend

4.3

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Author(s)

Robin Robinson

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

January 31, 2023

ISBN

978-1665906814

Buy This Book

When two young readers reach for the same book at the library, they set off on a charming romp through the stacks in this rambunctious and endearing picture book.

Sunny and Aarush both love to read. In fact, it is their favorite thing. For Aarush, a book is like a refuge for when you want to be alone. For Sunny, a book is like a companion that keeps you from being lonely. There is only one problem: they are best friends with the same book, and neither wants to share.

Clearly, one of them will have to find something else to read—but maybe they’ll discover something even better along the way. Could it be sharing is the best part of reading and friendship?

Editor review

1 review

sweet picture book about friends and the joy of reading

January 26, 2023

Overall rating

4.3

Plot

4.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

THIS BOOK IS MY BEST FRIEND is a sweet picture book about friendship. Two young children meet at a library when they try to grab the same book. In arguing, they both find out that the book is each of their best friend. One likes the robot in it, while the other likes the mouse. They explain to each other what it is they love about the book. Although they try to offer the other alternatives, there is something special about this book. At the end, they realize that the robot and mouse become best friends in the story, so maybe they can be best friends too.

What I loved: This is a sweet story about making new friends and all the joy that comes from reading. The story is told entirely through their dialogue back and forth as they explain all the unique things about the book they love and why it has made such a difference in their lives. Their love of reading comes across through each page and example, as well as glimpses into what they and their families are like. In particular, it's interesting to see that one child's mother is frequently ill and getting treatments in a hospital bed, a unique representation, while the other child has twin siblings. Their experiences have separately formed their love of the same story.

The book is written in dialogue with different fonts for each child. This can helpful in distinguishing who is talking, even on pages when the character is not directly speaking. The font is clear throughout, which makes it easy to read, and that is helpful for caregivers.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, stories told completely in dialogue can be a bit tough to read and digest. For instance, the children are not named in the text but they are named in the synopsis (Sunny and Aarush). It would be helpful to have some explanatory text or at least have the children introduce themselves to each other to flesh out the story a bit more. However, as-is, it's a short and cute comic-style read, so there is something to be said for the brevity!

Final verdict: THIS BOOK IS MY BEST FRIEND is a sweet story about the magical world of books and making new friends. Recommend for preschool aged readers and up!