Ten Things I Love about You by Daniel Kirk (review)

Rabbit is making a list of ten things he loves about his best bud, Pig, beginning with “Number 1—I love Pig because he is very pink.” Rabbit continues to add to his list, pestering Pig at every turn to share another list item or ask for help, and it seems as though Pig may soon lose his temper with Rabbit’s incessant interruptions and his cheerful oblivion to Pig’s frustration. Pig, however, is actually working on his own list of things he loves about Rabbit, and their solid friendship ultimately trumps the simmer of Pig’s annoyance. Though the devoted Rabbit’s clueless annoying of his friend is deadpan funny, there’s not much substance here beyond the list-making, and Pig’s sudden climactic turn from irritated to grateful rings false. Kirk’s digitally enhanced illustrations employ roughly edged painted plywood panels bordered by soft brown. Pink Pig in his turquoise shirt, brown pants, and tennies offers a note of bright color, as does the gray Rabbit’s bright red shirt. The two pals are slightly stiff in their poses, but they are nonetheless cartoonishly cute little guys, and the textured look of the painted wood panels has visual appeal. Better friendship books abound, but the list-making aspect of this one may inspire kids to take a keener look at the charms of their own buddies. Rabbit’s and Pig’s lists appear on the book’s closing pages and may provide a useful starting point for a classroom or family project of listing a friend’s or family member’s good points.