Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever

In her third outing, Helen, aka Freckleface Strawberry, hangs out with best friend Patrick, whose unfortunate nickname is “Windy Pants.” They have a lot in common and enjoy many of the same things (street carts, books, and museums), but when their classmates challenge their boy-girl friendship, they pull away from each other. Pham’s illustrations have a compelling modern-retro aesthetic, and the story ends predictably with the misfits rekindling their friendship and understanding that they are different in some ways but “a lot alike too!” Ages 4–8. (Sept.)