Friend

Through the up-close expressive faces of a child and their dog, we learn the words for a range of feelings.

This is my dog. She is silly! She is happy. Sometimes she is sad. She's my best friend.

This simple board book is a starting point to talk about how we feel. Key words describe the many emotions a dog can go through in a short time, while the expressions on the faces of the people nearby convey a whole new raft of feelings as they respond and react. And so the story becomes one of friendship and how our friends make us feel.

This new board book is a multi-layered delight joining Pops in Gavin Bishop's powerful series to share with the smallest children.

“"You don't need many words to express emotions. This New Zealand import, featuring a young child and a brown, wide-eyed, blue-collared pooch pal, proves this. The meanings inherent in the minimal text are quite precise. How minimal? One page includes a sentence comprising three words; some pages contain from one to four words. Yet the spare language--some could characterize it as labeling on some pages--carries much weight, and the words are descriptive. This is clearly seen in the simple yet pithy, expressive illustration on each page. For example, note the close, deliberate association between the facial expressions of the dog and/or its tan-skinned, dark-haired guardian when the single words happy, sad, shy, or angry appear. And, for not-yet-reading or emergent readers, the concise language serves as a great vocabulary developer, too. Take the word rowdy, for instance--a term likely unfamiliar to the preschool crowd. To extend this book's learning value, adults could guide listeners to suggest other terms to appropriately describe the artwork. Children would also enjoy making faces in a mirror and then talking about their expressions or creating original drawings and dictating one-word (or more) descriptors. Dog lovers and pet owners will especially relate to this small book about the warm, empathic relationship between a child and a beloved animal. Another background character is depicted with dark-brown skin. A charming reminder that friends don't need to say a lot; warm hearts and expressions speak volumes."--Kirkus Reviews”

"A charming reminder that friends don’t need to say a lot; warm hearts and expressions speak volumes."

ONZM, Tainui, Ngati Awa, is a leading New Zealand illustrator. He has published over 70 books internationally and been translated into 12 languages. He has written for television and theatre, as well as a libretti for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. His awards include the New Zealand Children's Picture Book of the Year multiple times, the Sir Kingi Ihaka award for lifetime contribution to Maori art and culture, and the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement - Non Fiction.

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