Spanish / Mexico
Formas de hacer amigos
(Ways to make friends)
Buitrago, Jairo
(text)
Ruiz Johnson, Mariana
(illus.)
Ciudad de México: Leetra, [2021]. – [36] p.
ISBN 978-607-8689-15-6
Friendship | Animals | Picture book
Reading age: 4+
White Ravens issue: 2022
In a highly entertaining manner, this picture book describes the many ways there are to make friends. Even if some of the suggestions cannot be taken entirely seriously, they are all quite original and worth a try in any case! For the protagonist, a young frog, the narrator recommends, for example, simply waiting under a tree until someone comes along who wants to be its friend. Somewhat faster and more promising might be to free a bird from a cage or a bee from a water fountain. Or to give a stranger a piece of self-made handiwork. Or to keep greeting that grumpy bat, until it finally greets you in return. Friendliness, generosity, empathy, and openness are undoubtedly outstanding characteristics – as well as the prerequisite for making friends with oneself. María Ruiz Johnson has illustrated Jairo Buitrago’s humorous, tongue-in-cheek guidebook with cheery pictures. They present a colourful and diverse world of different animals (and plants), which could all become friends – if they would only try. [JW]