Books make good friends

K-Gr 2--An introvert at heart, Lotti, a pale-skinned girl with cropped yellow hair and round glasses, prefers the company of books to people. As the playground wallflower, fictional friends entertain Lotti while she keenly observes classmates from afar. Even interacting with her mom, dad, and little brother can be overwhelming. However, a family forest hike proves pivotal when Lotti's mom gives her the book The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth. Devouring its contents, Lotti begins to notice that the fascinating plants and animals from the pages of her book surround her in the forest. Suddenly, reading for escapism transforms into reading for connection with the world around her. As Lotti's curiosity piques, she wonders if stories can also help her foster relationships with the people in her life. Mount's ambitious picture book is part story, part journal, and part reader's advisory. The first-person narrative supported with journal-like side commentary conjures memories of Marissa Moss's "Amelia's Notebook" series. Book spine art offers an abundance of recommended titles for a range of reading levels. Many are aimed at middle grade audiences instead of the picture book audience. Though evergreen titles are incorporated into Lotti's recommendations, there is a risk that the book will become dated. Mixed media illustrations rendered using gouache, ink, gel pens, and digital effects feel a bit rigid, but are vibrantly colored and expand on the text with extensive visual information. VERDICT An ode to the power of bibliotherapy, this sophisticated picture book may lack longevity, but will win early elementary readers for the time being.--Emily Brush

You're never lonely with books. Lotti loves books; reading is easy and fun for her, but making friends is hard. At the library, Lotti asks for a book about friends to help her understand "how they work." She worries it might be weird to sit next to a schoolmate, but that girl's an avid reader, too, and before long, Lotti's made a friend! She discovers bonding with people isn't so tough and, though "still shy," she figures out how to befriend a new student. Narrated in Lotti's self-aware, first-person voice, this book offers an insightful glimpse into a young person's feelings about friendship, self-worth, personal growth, and passion for books and reading. Throughout, readers will note the spines and covers of actual children's and middle-grade books on Lotti's bookshelf, bedroom floor, or in piles. They'll recognize books they may have already read and will likely find items to add to their own to-read lists, from Louis Sachar's Holes (1998) to Celia C. Pérez's The First Rule of Punk (2017) to Jerry Craft's New Kid (2019). The lively, boldly colorful illustrations are created with gouache, ink, and gel pens. Blond, bespectacled Lotti and her family are pale-skinned; other characters are diverse. Books do make good friends. Add people, and you've got the perfect mix. (Picture book. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.