We Are Going to Be Pals! by Mark Teague (review)

A rhinoceros is minding its business eating grass, when an egret lands on its back, announcing that the two have a symbiotic relationship. Continuing to chew grass, Rhino seems less than enthusiastic, as the bird goes on about the benefits of friendship and the things the two can do for each other (“You will have no egrets about that”). When Egret oversteps by riding Rhino’s horn, the bird is promptly launched into the air and switches gears, bringing up boundaries: “I won’t ride on your horn, and you, for instance, will not squoosh my toes.” Then, Egret wants to hang out under a particular tree, but Rhino goes for another tree, inspiring a lesson about compromise. And, finally, when Egret plays up the dramatics after an incident by the watering hole (“Imagine a smart bird like me getting stuck in quicksand! . . . Certainly my best friend should not come and get me”), Rhino fulfills its half of the symbiotic relationship by jumping in to save Egret. Readers familiar with Yolen’s “How Do Dinosaurs . . . ” series will recognize Teague’s acrylic illustrations, and the spreads feature realistically-proportioned animals with cartoon touches; the book cleverly utilizes the ongoings in the background and changing hues in the sky to show how much time passes as Egret prattles on. Egret’s formal style of talking and melodramatic flair prevent the message about healthy relationships from seeming too heavy-handed, making this a wonderfully humorous guide to important friendship behaviors and their terminology.