Even Better Than Sprinkles: A Story About Best Friends by Heather Fox, Linda Skeers
ISBN: 0593705513
Goodreads

What could be Even Better Than Sprinkles? It turns out friendship is the most important thing in this new picture book by Linda Skeers and Heather Fox.

The story takes us through playdates between two friends, though one friend (with the orange hair and white-presenting skin color) is more inclined to do what the other friend (Black presenting) wants to do. Our narrator tells us that a good friend will be “the back half of the unicorn costume,” or “will let you be the knight” of the castle, “even though you were the knight last time—and the time before that.” The playdates continue this way, until a big birthday party incident happens and causes a falling out. Will a glittery, hand-written apology solve everything? Yes, it will.

Caregivers will appreciate this story that encourages relationship skills and how to apologize when there’s a rift. The rainbow sprinkled cover will catch the eye of any child browsing the picture book stacks, but the story’s generic illustrations and predictable story-line might render it forgettable. Ages 4-8.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath