YOU

A charming yellow pup knows the world is full of color, music and exciting adventures, but the very best thing to him is “YOU,” who is, in this case, his chum, a tiny orange bird.

King (Leaf, 2009) paints a soft watercolor world in which dog and bird can guilelessly demonstrate and declare their strong friendship. They review colors as they paint a birdhouse, compare the sizes of buildings and bugs, experience both high and low notes as they dance and drum and endure ups and downs and tearful “far, far aways.” The text is a love letter to someone dear, and young children will enjoy having it read aloud, because “the most exciting place in [the] world / is with… // YOU. The understated illustrations and impressive use of white space will engage young readers. The images combine with the gentle, rhythmic pacing of the text for a quiet yet powerful story for preschoolers still developing an understanding about the concepts of love and friendship.

Best for sharing one-on-one with someone special.