This quiet book about friendship retains many of the design elements and collage devices from Berger’s The Little Yellow Leaf
—red polka-dot mushrooms pop up in the forest setting, dotted lines indicate the paths taken by the main characters, lined paper serves as an occasional backdrop, and words are tucked into the painted bark of trees and other vegetation. This time a blue bird and brown bunny become friends in spring, and because the bird must fly south for the winter, they are separated for months. When, “at last, the sun chase[s] away the snow,” they play together once more as “forever friends.” While Berger’s illustrations convey moments of both joy and isolation, this undemanding tale about friends being separated and rejoined isn’t quite as moving or poignant as Berger’s previous story. Nonetheless, fans of Berger’s spare aesthetic will enjoy scenes of pink tree blossoms arching over a log and the animals cavorting under fuzzy globes of firefly light in summer, as well as the basic message that real friendship overcomes distance. Ages 2–6. (Mar.)
