Best Frints at Skrool

In their second outing (following Best Frints in the Whole Universe), alien best friends Omek and Yelfred are pink and purple, with reptilian tails and pincer arms, and they “go to skrool, just like here on planet Earth.” Also like on Earth, meeting new friends at skrool can lead to hurt feelings. In bright, gestural cartoon characters, Portis depicts Yelfred as he has fun with a new “frint,” a red, cube-like alien named Q-B, leaving Omek watching dejectedly from the sidelines, antennae drooping. At “yunch,” Omek is once again alone, but when an epic food fight (“Everyone is sharing!”) leads Omek to team up with Yelfred and Q-B, they become a tight threesome: “On Boborp, what makes things the most fun... is a best frint and a best best frint.” With humor and tenderness, Portis explores the uncertainty and unexpected joys that come with navigating childhood friendships. Ages 4–8. (June)