Silver Linings

Best friends Pip, portrayed with pale skin and straight black hair, and Parker, shown with brown skin, are so close that “sometimes they don’t even need to speak.” But when words are necessary, Parker has a gift for seeing any situation’s bright side—the silver lining—and bringing the friends together. “Oh, no! My crayon broke!” says Pip. “It’s ok, Pip,” says Parker with a smile, taking one of the broken halves. “Now we can both use yellow.” Their playtime is peppered with small mishaps—a strawberry dropped into lemonade, a missing toy boat—and Parker always knows what to say. The two make the most of wind by transitioning from paper boats to kites, embrace an incoming storm by looking for cloud shapes, and enjoy the rain’s effects by stomping in puddles. And when it’s Parker’s turn to have something go wrong, it’s Pip’s turn to provide cheer. Mixed-media illustrations from Woodcock (Sunny-Side Up) feature pale colors and friendly, toylike figures; ample white space leaves room for the imagination. It’s a book about mutual appreciation and support in which both characters model loving-kindness, confidence, and resilience in their own way. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)