Friends (Mostly) (review)

Friendship has its ups and downs, which Ruby and Henry ("Usually we're friends, but sometimes we're unfriends") know very well. The pair takes turns describing their friendship ("I cry at his pet funerals," says Ruby; "I let her peel the nose off my banana," reports Sam), including events where things go slightly awry—Ruby's jealous of Henry's aquatic abilities, and both of them find it hard to resist passing along secret confidences. While more a descriptive overview than a plotted story, the text bursts with authentic particulars, and the frank acknowledgment of friendship's challenges and the need for forgiveness and appreciation makes this deeply relevant to youngsters just beginning to untangle the complications of interpersonal dynamics and the Golden Rule. While the pell-mell action of some compositions makes it a little hard to identify our protagonists, the swift, zesty lines and breezy watercolor hues have a retro flair that resembles that of an airier Steven Salerno. Audiences will recognize themselves and their agemates in the events, and they'll appreciate the understanding treatment of the challenges and rewards of friendship.