The Friends

Kazumi Yumoto. Yearling Books, $4.99 (176pp) ISBN 978-0-440-41446-9

This novel features three 12-year-old boys in Japan who find friendship through their mutual fascination with death. In a starred review, PW called this ""an eloquent initiation story that first touches and then pierces the heart."" Ages 10-up. (May)

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