Mabel Wants a Friend

Prior collaborators Bernstein and Rosenthal (You Go First) once again dazzle at demonstrating social-emotional nuance in this savvy, playground-set work. A red fox sporting a pink pinafore dress, Mabel “always got what she wanted,” even when doing so requires subterfuge. (One crisply inked vignette shows her distracting an entire line of animal kids so she can head to the front of the ice cream queue.) When she’s befriended by Chester, a rabbit with a generous spirit, Mabel values his company merely for how it meets her needs: “She could finally use the seesaw. And when she told a joke, there was someone to hear it.” But Chester sees how Mabel’s wants lead to thoughtless behavior—including pilfering another child’s toy—and when Mabel declares his role is to “let me have whatever I want,” he breaks off the friendship. Missing Chester’s companionship, Mabel realizes that others have needs and feelings, too—and learns that wants can go beyond a desire for self-gratification. It’s a lesson that’s beautifully delivered in the story’s final pages, which model Chester’s humane adherence to boundaries and genuine forgiveness when asked. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary. Illustrator: Holly McGhee. Pippin Properties. (Oct.)