stranger and more beautiful—a Möbius
strip of fantasy and reality, with happy
endings all around. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)
Fiction
★ Friends for Life
Andrew Norriss. Scholastic/Fickling, $17.99
(240p) ISBN 978-0-545-85186-2
When Jessica sits on a bench beside a
quiet boy named Francis, she is shocked
when he offers her tea. This is because
Francis is the first person who has been
able to see or hear her in the year since she
died. Francis’s interest in fashion has
made him a pariah at school, so any
friend—even a ghost—is welcome. The
two immediately bond and get another
surprise when Andi, a new student whose
aggressive tendencies have isolated her,
can see Jessica, too. Three becomes four
when Roland, an outcast because of his
weight, also sees Jessica. The question of
why Jessica has lingered on Earth remains,
and the novel shifts from a gentle friendship story to one about depression and
suicide as the truth becomes clear. Norriss
(I Don’t Believe It, Archie!) has written a
sensitive novel that illustrates how easy it
is to feel alone, the ways differences can be
isolating, and the power of friendship and
connection. This memorable story will
leave readers thinking about how small
actions can have a significant impact.
Ages 8–12. (Aug.)
Shadows of Sherwood
Kekla Magoon. Bloomsbury, $16.99 (368p)
ISBN 978-1-61963-634-7
Robyn Loxley, the 12-year-old
daughter of two members of Parliament,
regularly sneaks out after dark to scavenge
electronics at a junkyard in Nott City.
One night, that habit saves her, when mil-
itary police violently
kidnap her parents and
other government offi-
cials who oppose a power
grab by Royal Governor
Ignomus Crown.
Robyn’s father leaves her
cryptic clues—about
moon lore and gathering
the elements—which
suggest that he knew the
family was in danger,
Adam’s entry into school easier (another
hint about Adam’s background is the
headscarf his mother wears when she takes
him to school). When he discovers that he
is interested in his school’s garden, his
friends help him build gardens all over
the city. Free from conflict and tension,
the story imagines a city supportive of
immigrants and ready to befriend them.
Soft, smiling figures and a bright palette
convey gentle acceptance. Foreman
doesn’t preach; he simply shows people at
their best. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)
★ We Forgot Brock!
Carter Goodrich. Simon & Schuster, $17.99
(48p) ISBN 978-1-4424-8090-2
With his skull-and-crossbones T-shirt,
amplified musculature, scraggly hair,
and ninja swords, Brock looks like he
rode his chopper straight off the set of
Sons of Anarchy. But he’s actually the best
friend ever, and Phillip adores him.
Brock is also imaginary—“Whatever
that means,” says the sympathetic narrator. Then one day, Brock is separated
from Phillip at the Big Fair; lost and
lonely, he’s taken in by a girl and her
imaginary friend, the resplendently girly
Princess Sparkle Dust. Pretty soon, “the
three of them began to invent games and
tell each other stories.” Has Brock moved
on for good? Goodrich (Mister Bud Wears
the Cone) draws Brock and the Princess
Sparkle Heart with the loving crayonlike
work (black for Brock,
purple for the princess)
of a child artist; they’re
flattened, cut-out figures in a dimensional,
full-color world, but
their emotional vividness is as clear as can be.
What starts as a familiar
story of pretend play
and dramatic irony
turns into something
ered into the dining room, where an even
more arresting spread reveals a tableful of
formally dressed animals—a boar, two
stags, the bear, and many more—who
gaze at Kikko in wordless surprise. At
that moment, the story shifts. “Please,
come in and warm yourself,” the animals
say, greeting her with kindness. In the
end, there’s a new pie and a parade to
Kikko’s grandmother’s house. The
graceful proportions, atmospheric detail,
and quiet, bewitching light of
Miyakoshi’s charcoals distinguish this
small gem. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)
Peanut Butter & Brains:
A Zombie Culinary Tale
Joe McGee, illus. by Charles Santoso. Abrams,
$16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4197-1247-0
The Walking Dead they ain’t—why,
they’re barely decayed—but the blue-skinned zombies in this ripped-from-cable
spoof are still intent on eating brains.
Except, that is, for one zombie kid named
Reginald, who craves peanut butter and
jelly. Getting what he wants isn’t easy:
when Reginald’s quest takes him to the
school cafeteria, a lunch lady “slapped a
hunk of meat loaf on his tray instead. It
looked an awful lot like brains.” But the
discovery that some things are even “better
than brains” leads to a happily-ever-after
ending for the living and the undead alike.
Santoso’s (I Don’t Like Koala) ink-and-watercolor drawings sometimes lack a
strong compositional punch, but they
strike a successful silly-scary balance; in
his best visual gag, Santoso uses speech
bubbles filled with images of brains to
convey the zombies’ single-minded focus.
Striking a reportorial tone, newcomer
McGee gets substantial comic mileage out
of repeating the word “brains”—or
“brainsssss,” as it’s evocatively spelled at
several points. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent:
Linda Epstein, Jennifer De Chiara Literary
Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Justin Rucker,
Shannon Associates, (Aug.)
The Seeds of Friendship
Michael Foreman. Candlewick, $16.99 (32p)
ISBN 978-0-7636-7834-0
In his story about an African boy who
has immigrated to a Western country,
Foreman (I Love You, Too!) lets his artwork
supply most of the information. Adam is
from a “faraway place,” but he has moved
