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The Friendship Bench by Wendy Meddour ill. Daniel Egneus

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Tilly has just moved to a new house, by the splash and curl of the sea. She loves doing cartwheels in the sand and playing catch with Mummy and Shadow the dog. But when it is time to start her new school, Shadow and Mummy must stay outside. And inside is full of strangers. ‘Why don’t you try The Friendship Bench?’ says her teacher, when Tilly is playing alone. ‘It helps children find new friends to play with.’ But when Tilly gets there, somebody is already on it . . .

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Frank And Bert by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 22 Feb 2022

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A new picture book from the creator of The Suitcase.

Frank and Bert are the best of friends and they LOVE to play hide and seek. But Bert the bear isn’t quite as good at hiding as he thinks he is . . . and Frank ALWAYS wins! Every. Single. Time.

But when it’s Bert’s turn to hide, and Frank has to decide between winning again OR making his friend happy, Frank learns that friendship is always the true winner.

This interactive and entertaining story about friendship is guaranteed to get children giggling!

Read this Nosy Crow blog post and discover how the book went through four or five different versions before arriving at the final storyline:

But the essence of the story was always about friendship – what it’s worth and how it can be tested sometimes. That’s what we were always wanting to bring out and highlight. I also wanted to be really careful that Bert, though not appearing to be the sharpest of the duo, is no fool either. He had to have a little conspirational moment with the reader that Frank isn’t entirely aware of, otherwise the friendship felt unbalanced and Bert a little patronised.

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And there’s an interview with him at ReadingZone.

This Tree is Just for Me! by Lucy Rowland ill. Laura Hughes

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Jack has a new book, and he’s found the perfect place to read in peace – a big, beautiful tree. So when a tiger, a bear, an alligator and a whole host of unusual animals ask if they can join him, Jack says, ‘NO! This tree is just for me!” But you’ve got to be careful what you wish for. When the animals go away, Jack begins to wonder whether keeping something to yourself is so much fun after all. Sometimes, a tree is EVEN better with friends in it too! This Tree is Just for Me is a charming and uplifting tale of friendship and sharing.

Follow the Hastings-based illustrator—who creates her hand-drawn illustrations using inks, gouache paint and pastels—on Instagram:

Lionel The Lonely Monster by Fred Blunt

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ACHUKA Book of the Day Tue 27 Apr 2021

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“Bursting with joyful fun, jokes, chaos and eye-catching, child-friendly artwork, and with a moving story to tug at your heartstrings, pink monster Lionel proves to be simply irresistible, and is destined to make new friends with readers young and old!” Lancashire Post
“Hooray for a book that ends with a hug! In this playful, timely story, we learn that our actions are key, and inaction can also have profound consequences for others’ wellbeing.” Just Imagine

Also, just published (Apr21): Farmer Llama, illustrated by Fred, rhyming text by Donna David

Lionel the monster finds it hard to make friends. Children are frightened of him, because, well, he is a monster. Grown-ups are too busy even to notice him. Then one day he meets a little dog who isn’t frightened, and isn’t too busy, and who just wants to play! Lionel has never had so much fun! But what will happen when Lionel takes the little dog back to its owner? Is Lionel destined to be lonely forever?

Follow Fred Blunt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fredblunt/
Check out his website: https://fredbluntillustration.com

When The World Was Ours by Liz Kessler

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‘Liz’s masterpiece . . . an instant classic’ Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal

‘A wonderful book, half tragedy, but told with such sheer, warm humanity that it leaves you with hope’ Hilary McKay, author of The Skylarks’ War

‘I haven’t read a Holocaust book for children that’s better’ Charlotte Eyre, The Bookseller

Three young friends – Leo, Elsa and Max – spend a perfect day together, unaware that around them Europe is descending into a growing darkness, and that events soon mean that they will be cruelly ripped apart from each other. With their lives taking them across Europe – to Germany, England, Prague and Poland – will they ever find their way back to each other? Will they want to?

Inspired by a true story, WHEN THE WORLD WAS OURS is an extraordinary novel that is as powerful as it is heartbreaking, and shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times.


 

10 YA novels that remind you true friendship never dies | Maximum Pop!

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10 YA NOVELS THAT REMIND YOU TRUE FRIENDSHIP NEVER DIES

If there’s one thing YA books are great at, it’s being life-affirming hugs of comfort and joy. So to rekindle your belief in love, we’ve picked out some of the best girl-mances in YA books that will restore your faith in friendship.

9781509803538 Suzanne & Caddy from Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard 

This was one of the best debuts of 2016, and one of the things readers loved most about this book was that it focused on the diversity of female friendships and not on romance.

Caddy and Suzanne’s relationship is complex, interesting and brings out the best in both of them in brilliant realism. This will give you all the friend feels!

 

 

9781409590309Evie, Lottie and Amber from The Spinster Club Series by Holly Bourne 

Holly Bourne writes female friendships so well, and it’s a pleasure to see the beginnings of the Spinster Club in Am I Normal Yet? 

The girls are distinct and different, but supportive and so much fun to read. You will want to join their feminist squad for sure after reading this!

 

 

Kaz a9781406347708nd Ruby from Remix by Non Pratt

Summer , your best friend and a music festival – what more could a girl ask for?

This brilliantly summery tale from the incredible Non Pratt painted the picture of a very real friendship that we can all recognise. Differences in your personalities, but true love deep down all the way.

 

 

 

9781409587699Limpett, Stefan and Jared from The Last Summer of Us by Maggie Harcourt 

While there is some underlying romantic tension in these friendships, we think that’s one of the best things about them. How often do we find 100% purely platonic relationships between men and women afterall?

You’ll love the way Maggie plays with this and keeps you guessing, all the while weaving the cutest of friendship moments in there.

 

 

Violet and Raven from9781406347494 The Jewel by Amy Ewing 

It’s not just contemporary YAs that rule at amazing friendships. Amy Ewing’s hugely popular fantasy novel follows surrogates who are auctioned off to give birth for noble families.

Violet’s dedication to Raven and how that drives her is one of the most heartfelt relationships in a fantasy YA we’ve read in a real long time.

 

 

 

for the remaining recommendations see Still heartbroken about Camila quitting Fifth Harmony? 10 YA novels that remind you true friendship never dies | Maximum Pop!.

The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield ACHUKAreview

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bearandpiano
I’m not surprised this book was selected as a Highlight of the Season in The Bookseller’s Children’s Autumn Buyers Guide. It’s rather special. And it’s Litchfield’s first picture book. He will be opening The Bookseller’s Children Conference later this month when he will be exhibting (alongside five other illustrators) original artwork from this title.

I recommend a visit to his website:

davidlitchfield

From the end papers and the opening spread, the artwork in this picture book is stunning. And I love the variation in page layout. The designers have done a wonderful job.

But well-presented artwork also needs an original and moving story and this book has that also.

A bear discovers an old piano abandoned in the wood. He plays on the piano every day, practising for months and years until he can play so well that other bears come to listen. One night his playing is overheard by a girl and her father, who ‘discover’ him and entice him away to the city, where he performs in public and becomes a star on Broadway. He wins awards, is lauded, and feted. But he misses his home and his friends.

He returns to the forest. The piano has gone. His friends aren’t there. He is forlorn. But it turns out the piano has simply been moved to a safe position. His friends have been following his career. They are his fans too. He sits down and plays a special concert set just for them.

Litchfield’s forest and city illustrations are equally strong. I love, in particular, the auditorium double spread. The hardback’s dustjacket tells us that he uses “a variety of traditional techniques, assembling the different elements together in Photoshop to create large-scale, dramatic scenes.” We’re also told that the book was inspired by The White Stripes short 50-second song ‘Little Room’.

http://www.achuka.co.uk/reviews/?p=601