Making a Friend

by Tammi Sauer, Alison Friend (Illustrator)

Overview

A clever picture book about the fun of making new friends and building unlikely relationships—and playing in the snow! From the bestselling author of Nugget and Fang.

Beaver is good at making just about everything...but not friends. One winter day, Beaver sees some snowflakes in the sky and gets a great idea: he’ll make a friend. Yes! A snowman will be a great friend!

Raccoon passes by as Beaver sets to work and offers a helping hand. The two work side by side to give their snowman everything a friend needs.

But when the snowman proves to be a little cold, Beaver discovers that he may have unknowingly “made” another buddy instead.

Perfect for snuggling together for a read-aloud, this sweet snowy friendship story from Tammi Sauer and Alison Friend will warm the hearts of young readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062278937
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/13/2018
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,021,502
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Tammi Sauer is the author of such irresistible picture books as Making a Friend; Truck, Truck, Goose!; I Love Cake! Starring Rabbit, Porcupine, and Moose; Your Alien; and Nugget & Fang. Tammi lives with her family in Oklahoma. You can follow her online at www.tammisauer.com and on Twitter @SauerTammi.

Alison Friend is the author and illustrator of Freddy & Frito and the Clubhouse Rules, which Kirkus called "a playful, lighthearted lesson about peacekeeping and place-keeping." She is also the illustrator of Making a Friend by Tammi Sauer. She lives with her family in the Lake District in England.

Editorial Reviews

Friend’s anthropomorphic animals are adorable... [A] sure recipe for making a friend…real or snow.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This will offer particular entertainment as a lively readaloud for storytime or other friendly occasions.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Clever text, dialogue, and easily identifiable emotions of its characters make it a welcome addition to materials for social emotional learning...a fine choice for one-on-one and small group sharing.” — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

This will offer particular entertainment as a lively readaloud for storytime or other friendly occasions.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

This will offer particular entertainment as a lively readaloud for storytime or other friendly occasions.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

11/01/2018

PreS-Gr 1—Beaver is good at making lots of things yet despite all efforts, he's just not able to make a friend. Beaver decides to use a snowfall to make a friend in a different way. In doing, so he attracts the attention of Raccoon, and their collaborative effort in the creation of a snowman also develops a friendship. Raccoon and Beaver appear in digital art with large, expressive eyes and cartoon smiles featuring a range of emotions as they work together rolling, patting, and stacking snow. They add raisins and branches, offer opportunities to play or even join a parade to encourage their new snow friend to say "Wow" or "Thanks" or anything." Disappointment follows. "This friend was not much of a friend at all. In fact, he seemed rather cold." This title frames a friendship in the making as it first grows undiscovered, awareness of a true friendship arrives unexpectedly, and the relationship suddenly blossoms. Clever text, dialogue, and easily identifiable emotions of its characters make it a welcome addition to materials for social emotional learning. VERDICT A suggested general purchase for all libraries, this a fine choice for one-on-one and small group sharing.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal

2018-08-14

While making things isn't the same as making friends, sometimes one can lead to the other.

Beaver is very good at the former—his lodge is a cabin with a slide attached—but not the latter. Friend's digital illustrations show the many ways Beaver's attempts at friendship go wrong, and readers will empathize with the poor guy (and with the porcupine he presents with balloons on their birthday!). So when snow starts falling, Beaver endeavors to make his own friend. When Raccoon stops by, curious, they point out, "it takes two to make a friend." Beaver's crestfallen until Raccoon does the math. The two cooperate marvelously, but the completed friend seems cold and doesn't interact with either of them. Can't they find someone to play with? It finally dawns on Beaver that he already has. Friend's anthropomorphic animals are adorable, and readers will have no trouble telling how they are feeling.

A sure recipe for making a friend…real or snow. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews