by Robin Robinson
Illustrations by the author
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2023
32 pages
ISBN: 9781665906814
Two kids find each other through their love of one book. Sunny loves the book because it's about robots and she dreams of being a robot when she grows up. Aarush likes the book because it has a mouse and he loves mice. For him, it's a quiet book he can read and escape to even when his siblings are noisy.
They each want the book because it's their best friend. They try to talk each other into getting a different book, but both of them want Factory Friends. They realize the robot and mouse in the book become friends, so why can't they become friends and share the book?
The kids are depicted not as brats or argumentative. Each of them presents their point of view and are allowed to talk without the other interrupting. They take turns. They share and they come to a solution they both agree upon. They read the book together in the library and each of them goes home with a stack of books.
Heartwarming, sweet and profound, this picture book is a winner! I can't count the number of times a student has said to me or another student, "This book is my best friend." One student kept checking out the a same book all year. When I asked if I could get him something else, he said, "No, this book makes me feel better." At the end of the year, I bought a new copy and gave him his choice: take the brand new shiny copy or keep the well-loved, well-used book he loved. He chose the older copy because it was his best friend. I hope he kept that book forever. He was so happy when he left the library with his friend that finally belonged to him.
Books are truly friends to so many children, and this picture book captures the childhood feeling of loving a particular book and knowing it's your friend.
Highly, highly recommended grades pre-K and up.
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