Pig and Small

Friendship takes work, and it’s often tempting to throw in the towel. Pig and tiny Bug have a rocky start filled with resentment, thoughtlessness, and frustration. Pig takes Bug for a bike ride and “couldn’t help feeling as though he’d done most of the pedaling.” Bug bakes a tiny chocolate cake that Pig eats in one bite, “without appreciating the way Bug had decorated it. But when Pig hits on the idea of taking Bug to the movies (The Pirate, the Ninja, and the Invisible Dog—perhaps the ultimate crowd-pleaser), things turn around in a snap, and the two discover there is plenty they can do together, and that what they can’t do (play catch or hide and seek) is no biggie. Latimer (Lion vs. Rabbit), whose deadpan visual comedy is always a treat, once again proves he’s adept at conveying life lessons with the lightest of touches. Addressing the vicissitudes of friendship in a conversational and slyly funny voice, he reassures readers that liking someone needn’t be a matter of all or nothing: a little imagination and understanding can go a long way. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)