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(The Times, Magnus Linklater 29/06/05)
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A Better Best Friend
by Olivier Tallec
Age Range: Under_5
Squirrel has been wanting a best friend for a long time and while out walking in the forest searching for pinecones, he spies what he thinks is a best friend sitting on a tree trunk.
“This morning, while I was out walking, I found a best friend. At least I think he is. Anyway, he looks like one. He has a real best friend face. I have a feeling he’s going to be MY best friend.”
Squirrel philosophises about the meaning of a best friend – you have the best of times with them and even bad times are good with a best friend. Squirrel and his new best friend a mushroom called Pock share lots of time together exploring the forest through the seasons. Pock is not particularly talkative but he is always ready to do things with Squirrel. But when spring arrives so too does Moo, the fly. Now Squirrel has another friend which causes him a great deal of angst as he ponders which one – Pock or Moo is his best friend since he can only have one!
French author and illustrator Olivier Tallec, who has illustrated over 60 books for children, has created a quirky and droll picture book, translated by Antony Shugaar, about the complexities of friendship that children often face. As the narrator, an over-thinking squirrel attempts to answer the profound question of whether we should have just one best friend. Squirrel discovers that it’s a difficult question to answer!
The pen and ink and watercolour artwork is joyful and vibrant from the lively questioning squirrel to the silent mushroom whose comedic facial expressions make up for the lack of words. Although the book has an open ending, the message is clear – the more friends the merrier.
A Better Best Friend is a gorgeous and funny book with illustrations that zing making it a book you will want to read again and again.