Billy and Rose: Forever Friends by Amy Hest, Kady MacDonald Denton
Series: Billy & Rose, #1, #1
Published by Candlewick Press on October 11, 2022
ISBN: 1536214191
Pages: 48
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Early Reader
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Four sweet stories about friendship that express compromise and communication. Billy, a sheep, and Rose, a pig, are best friends who enjoy sharing time and minor adventures. Much like Frog and Toad, these new characters learn to work together despite having different approaches to a situation. Hest’s newest animal pair are authentic and timeless, their friendship is playful and sincere. MacDonald Denton’s illustrations are expressive; the soft coloration and vast white space allow the characters to have center stage. Readers will look forward to other stories about these friends.

Librarians might shelve this book as an early reader or a seasonal concept book. The illustrator’s choice of clothing and environmental markers places the four stories in distinctive seasons. Recommend for grades K-1 classroom collections and on the shelves of public libraries.

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, retired children’s librarian