I'll Meet You Halfway

Friendship is the best gift of all--that's the moral of this affable tale starring Titus Turtle and Fuller Frog, a pair of best buddies who set out for a visit at a spot midway between their homes. Each wants to surprise the other with a present: Titus knits a sweater (turtleneck, naturally) for Fuller, and Fuller bakes a cake for Titus. Unbeknownst to either of them, the journey proves hazardous to their accoutrements--the sweater snags on a branch and slowly unravels until all that's left is a sleeve; a trio of birds demolishes the cake until only a puddle of whipped cream and a few berries remain. Though disappointed, Titus and Fuller overlook the state of their radically diminished gifts (``I adore berries and cream!''; ``A winter scarf is just what I've wanted!''), focusing instead on the joy of simply being together. Watts charts the friends' journey with panache, drawing on a near-tropical palette for his color-drenched illustrations. Readers looking for stories in the quiet tradition of the Frog and Toad series will cozy right up to this collaboration. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)