The new friend

PreS-Gr 1-In Pip and Posy's seventh adventure, they go to the beach, and Posy must decide how to react when her best friend Pip makes a new friend without her. Scheffler's trademark gouache artwork lushly details every scene and vividly conveys small nuances on characters' faces. Large, bold text accompanies Pip, a bunny, and Posy, a mouse, as they unpack their beach supplies and engage in typical shore activities: collecting shells, digging holes, and wading in the ocean. Extension opportunities exist as well, making this an ideal picture book for reading aloud. For example, minor characters fly kites, hang glide, and sail in the background; storytellers can ask children what sorts of play they enjoy at the seashore. When Posy takes a nap after splashing in the water, Pip meets a new friend, Zac, a dog. Pip and Zac take part in many antics, so by the time Posy wakes up, she definitely feels left out. A quivering lip and tremulous brow convey her emotions, but it's how Posy combats her problem that is at the heart of this simple tale. When Zac and Pip leave for ice cream, Posy chooses to trail after them and buy ice cream, too, instead of staying behind. When Zac's ice cream is stolen by a seagull, Posy uses her last coin to buy him another cone. This kind act helps Posy join Zac and Pip's group, reminding Pip of her generous nature. At the end of the story, Pip asks Posy what she'd like to do, and they end up building a huge sand castle together. VERDICT A sweet picture book about friendship and a sure hit for Pip and Posy fans. Recommended for one-on-one and small group sharing.-Rachel Zuffa, Racine Public Library, WI © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Sea, sun, ice cream, and friendship. Friends Pip and Posey, a rabbit and a mouse, are back again, this time to take a trip to the beach and make a new friend. Illustrations rendered in gouache show the two intrepid beachgoers digging, wading, and shell collecting. But when Posy takes a nap and Pip begins to play with the dog that has set up his things beside them, things take a turn for the worse. Posy is awakened by their laughter, and even though Pip and the pup, Zac, make an effort to include her in their games, Posy does not enjoy herself and feels excluded. After an ice cream mishap, Posy helps Zac out, and at Posy's suggestion, the now-happy threesome work together to build a sand castle. Though the plot is intentionally simple and geared toward toddlers and preschoolers, not enough happens here; while Scheffler does not fall victim to the temptation to overexplain, he neglects to provide enough information for young listeners to fully engage or understand precisely what the problem is and how it is resolved. Still, fans of the series will be happy to see their old friends, and children who love the beach may appreciate this flawed but passable tale. A well-intentioned but not entirely successful beach outing. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.