ALWAYS BY MY SIDE

A tale of devotion told from the point of view of a stuffed animal.

“I will always be by your side.” A disheveled tot with a mop of unkempt hair holds tightly to a lumpy, squishable stuffie. It’s not immediately clear who is speaking to whom. Both of them look pretty dependent on each other. But as they go on various adventures, it becomes clear that it’s the stuffie who proclaims its loyalty over and over again. “When you are sad, I will hug you.” (The two tightly embrace.) “I will listen to your secrets and never tell.” (The pals are splayed on the floor, locked eye to eye very seriously.) And on the first day of school: “When you feel alone, I will keep you company.” (The youngster and stuffie stand together on the playground, watching others play.) But a sudden tug on the stuffie’s tail changes everything. A new friend…also with a stuffie! As the pair’s friendship grows, the stuffies are gradually left behind. A particularly heartbreaking scene shows the forlorn stuffie amid an endless galaxy of black, just waiting. But that makes the joy when the two are reunited all the more sweet. The animal’s floppy frame instantly conjures much cuddling and love, and children will enjoy seeing it get bigger as the protagonist grows. The main tot presents White, and the new friend has a darker complexion and tight, frizzy black curls. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.5-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 22.4% of actual size.)

Some bonds last a lifetime.