GEORGE & LENNY ARE ALWAYS TOGETHER

Sometimes giving solitude a spin is just what a strong friendship needs.

George is a large, gentle bear; Lenny is a small gray rabbit. As the two spend the day on the playground, Lenny notices that they never seem to be apart and begins to speculate about what it would be like to be alone. “Lonely, I bet. And sad!” retorts George. But Lenny, not to be dissuaded, decides to give it a go. At first George tries various ways to join in (“Do you think there is enough room for two?”), but at last Lenny gets some solo time to draw, read, blow bubbles, and sit and think. It’s rewarding, but so is being with George. Writing simple picture books aimed at younger readers can be challenging, but Agee has succeeded in winnowing down a story of curiosity and loneliness to its most essential components. The tone of the book is consistently gentle; even George’s irritation lasts only a moment or two. The entire enterprise brings to mind (in the best possible way) the story “Alone” from Arnold Lobel’s Days With Frog and Toad. Agee’s simple yet expressive thick-lined art makes for an ideal accompaniment.

A brief adventure that celebrates short-lived seclusion.