Andy & Sandy’s Anything Adventure
by Tomie dePaola and Jim Lewis; illus. by Tomie dePaola
Preschool, Primary   Simon   32 pp.
3/16   978-1-4814-4157-5   $8.99
e-book ed. 978-1-4814-4158-2   $8.99

When Andy Met Sandy
by Tomie dePaola and Jim Lewis; illus. by Tomie dePaola
Preschool, Primary   Simon   32 pp.
3/16   978-1-4814-4155-1   $8.99
e-book ed. 978-1-4814-4156-8   $8.99

Andy and Sandy are the friends in this new series for just-beginning readers. They first meet in When Andy Met Sandy: Sandy shows up at the playground that Andy was enjoying having all to himself. One simple sentence per page allows readers into the minds of both characters as they dance around whether and how to approach each other. “She is new here.” “Is this his playground?” Clean design and expressive art in acrylics with colored pencil bring out the nuances of anticipation and reserve that can occur with meeting someone new. The mandatory teamwork imposed by the seesaw brings the two together at last, no longer separated by the book’s gutter. In Andy & Sandy’s Anything Adventure, the two have a playdate at Andy’s house. After a couple of false starts, they decide to play dress-up. This story, too, uses words and pictures to choreograph a deepening of teamwork and friendship as Andy and Sandy try on different items, then experiment with complementing outfits, then share an outfit, and finally switch places entirely. Both books use large font, repetition, and strong picture clues to support new readers; endpapers feature line drawings that add more detail. Andy and Sandy’s friendship — and this series — is off to a good start.

From the March/April 2016 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.