TWOGETHER

Can two be too many? Too few? Or just right?

A young shrew playing alone on the beach decides one isn’t fun and seeks companionship, but an elephant sitting nearby points out it doesn’t need to be in a twosome, citing the activities—sailing, surfing, and singing—it enjoys doing solo. The shrew, however, demonstrates why two’s more fun. Before long, an otter appears on the scene, explaining that its presence now makes them a group of three and opining that number’s even better. Adults reading this to kids won’t be surprised when yet another animal, this one an alligator, shows up, adding up to a total of four beachgoers. The shrew, depicted as small and unprepossessing, still maintains the superiority of two and eventually meets a bird that’s in total agreement; at the end, the pair contentedly build sand castles together. This sweet, lighthearted story, expressed in lilting rhyme conveyed entirely in dialogue bubbles, reassures quieter youngsters who might feel overwhelmed with too many people around them that their preference for a twosome is OK. It also permits very young kids to practice some basic counting skills. The lively pencil-and-ink illustrations give winsome expressions and personalities to the main animal characters; various animals feature throughout as background frolickers enjoying a day at the beach. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 40.3% of actual size.)

Though there’s not much new here, this is an enjoyable tale about finding friends.