Billy & Rose: Forever Friends
by Amy Hest ; illus. by Kady MacDonald Denton
Primary     Candlewick    48 pp.         g
10/22      978-1-5362-1419-2     $16.99

Billy, a goat, and Rose, a pig, are friends who live on neighboring farms. In four short stories, the two work their way through small conflicts in satisfying ways. Rose needs to do laundry; Billy needs to practice the cello. Both have been putting off these “very big chores.” Happily, they encourage each other: Rose scrubs and hangs wash on the line to the sound of Billy’s cello. The friends play catch, more or less successfully, amidst the falling leaves. They set up an ice-cream stand on a snowy winter day and are surprised to attract no customers. Come spring, they struggle to plan a sleepover that meets both their wishes. The cozy words and pictures have an old-fashioned sensibility. Hest’s focus is the friendship between two neighbors who enjoy each other’s company. Denton’s lively watercolor and ink illustrations are filled with movement, and the characters’ exuberance bursts off the page. With generous white space, wide margins, and plentiful art, this short chapter book has a friendly, approachable design for new readers.

From the November/December 2022 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.