Friends

This internationally bestselling picture book was originally published under the title Vriendjes in the Netherlands in 2012 by Lemniscaat, Rotterdam and then translated into English in 2013 by Lemniscaat, USA. Friends is now happily back in print again for libraries to refresh their well-loved copies and for new readers to discover.

The ebbs and flows of friendship, along with the meaning of 12 verbs, are brilliantly conveyed in this social-emotional learning primer. On each double-page spread, a hand-lettered word is creatively brought to life and demonstrated by a pair of eclectic monsters. For example, “play” features a scene with a small green imp-like creature in a red-patterned onesie having fun riding on the back of a long-snouted yellow monster who is kicking its heels up in glee. On the next page, ennui settles over two different monsters. “Bore” finds a huge purple-spotted beast lying supine on the ground, and its long tail is a convenient resting spot for its limp, droopy orange critter friend. To illustrate “tease”, a small yellow monster with fangs and a mischievous grin stretches out its arm and pokes the nose of a surprised lizard-like red. With tensions ramping up, the dynamic duos also “fight”, “cry”, “ignore” and “embarrass”.

Set against jet black, solid backgrounds, Mies van Hout’s neon-bright chalk and pastel illustrations seem to pop off the page. The text may be minimal, but the monsters’ expressive eyes and body language speak volumes. The layout and design are striking and exceptional. Physically distanced, sitting at the edges of facing pages with their hairy backs turned to each other, remorseful pals sneak glances full of “hope”. After making up, trust is rebuilt, belly laughs are shared and a warm-hearted, happy “cuddle” concludes the book.

A perennial storytime crowd pleaser, as well as an ideal conversation starter for older children, this reprinted edition of Friends by Pajama Press has extra-heavy pages that will hold up to repeated readings and library circulation.