Stick and Stone: Best Friends Forever!

by Beth Ferry, Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)

Overview

This ode to unconditional love is a new picture book adventure for New York Times bestselling BFFs Stick and Stone, in which Stick searches for his family tree and discovers the importance of found family and forever friends.

Stick has always wanted to find his family tree. It’s probably big and beautiful! Is it an oak? A maple? What other sticks might he meet?

Stone is happy to accompany his friend on the journey to find the tree he comes from—until it gets dark, and a bit scary in the forest . . .

With bright, engaging illustrations from bestselling creator Tom Lichtenheld, Beth Ferry’s story explores the importance of learning about our roots, as well as the ability of friends and found family to help us grow strong in heart and mind. Sweet and silly, this story celebrates the love between friends and shows us that families come in all sizes and shapes—even sticks, stones, and pinecones.

Don't miss Stick and Stone's picture book adventures:

• Stick and Stone
• Stick and Stone: Best Friends Forever!

Plus don't miss the young graphic novels:

• Stick and Stone Explore and More
• Stick and Stone on the Go

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358473022
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/07/2021
Series:	Stick and Stone Series
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	151,434
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Beth Ferry is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous picture books, including Stick and Stone, The Scarecrow, and The Nice Dream Truck. She lives with her family by the beach in New Jersey, where she finds inspiration in the salty air.

Tom Lichtenheld makes books for children and people who used to be children. His New York Times bestsellers include I Wish You More and Duck! Rabbit!, created with Amy Krouse Rosenthal; Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, created with Sherri Duskey Rinker; and Stick and Stone, created with Beth Ferry. See all his books at tomlichtenheld.com.

Editorial Reviews

"This sweetly adorable story, expressed textually through simple, jaunty verse, conveys the reassuring message that family and true friends always (ahem) stick by you when you need them. Kids won’t be stone faced and will definitely stick with this delightful story about friendship."  — Kirkus Reviews

"A sequel to Stick and Stone (2014), this story begins with curiosity, leads to adventure, and ends (like so many road trips) with a character gaining a new perspective on what really matters. Excellent for reading aloud, Ferry's light-verse text will engage and amuse young children, while Lichtenheld's pleasing illustrations feature rounded forms, harmonious colors, and lively, lovable characters. A rewarding picture book."  — Booklist

From the Publisher

2021-06-16
When you search for family—and discover it’s always been there.

The pals introduced in Stick and Stone’s first eponymous outing (2015) set out on a quest for Stick’s literal family tree. From what kind of tree did he break off? Oak, spruce, willow? The duo ventures forth, determined to find Stick’s origins, traversing bodies of water, forests, valleys, and mountains. Though surrounded by trees, Stick can’t find his familial roots. Soon, things turn ominous: Darkness falls, shadows and strange noises become unnerving, and the terrified pair realizes they’re lost. No fear, though. They eventually return safely, and Stone helps disconsolate Stick understand who his family is and always has been—and that differences don’t matter. This sweetly adorable story, expressed textually through simple, jaunty verse, conveys the reassuring message that family and true friends always (ahem) stick by you when you need them. The bright illustrations, aptly set mostly in nature, are equally endearing, with the protagonists exuding optimism and cheerfulness (except during that scary forest adventure). They register a broad range of expressions, though their faces are created merely from dots and curves denoting broad smiles. Brownish Stick bears pairs of short, chunky projectiles connoting limbs; his tilted head resembles a wizard’s cap. Stone is orange-brown and looks like a rotund meatball. Endpapers feature numerous smiling iterations of Stick representing branches from different trees; included labels and leaves show variances.

Kids won’t be stone faced and will definitely stick with this delightful story about friendship. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews