71. This Book is My Best Friend

This Book Is My Best Friend. Robin Robinson. 2023. [January] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Excuse me.... I'm sorry, but I NEED this book.

Premise/plot: Sunny and Aarush both LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the same book: Factory Friends. The library apparently only has ONE copy. (Sad, sad, super-sad). These two strangers are about to meet face to face at the library and have a tug-of-war with one beloved book. Both will argue their case, trying to persuade the other that they NEED the book more. And honestly, both have good, solid, valid reasons why they *need* the book. (Sunny's mom is in the hospital; Aarush has new siblings--twins.) The two are able to voice very well their emotions and feelings. The book highlights the magic of reading and what books can mean to us as readers. Also highlighting, of course, the power of a book to unite readers.

My thoughts: In the actual, actual story the two are not named. The jacket flap names the protagonists. In the story, the two never introduce themselves 'properly' I suppose. I guess that may be why. The whole book is their dialogue. It's a healthy dialogue too. The two are actively listening to one another and mostly empathizing. Each wants to keep Factory Friends. So they are pulling other books off the shelf trying to hand-sell substitute books. (Which makes for a great book!!!) (One is interested in robots. One is interested in mice.)

I loved the layers of this one. There's the surface-level of the dialogue. And then there are the deeper layers that are mainly revealed through the illustrations. Definitely a book worth examining closely a couple of times.

In this lovely book about books, there are little gems for older readers (or let's be honest adult librarians and/or teachers) hidden in the illustrations. Look at all the book covers facing out on the shelves of the library.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers