FICTION

A Friend for Mole

by Nancy Armo
illus. by Nancy Armo. 32p. Peachtree. Mar. 2016. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781561458653.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Mole enjoys life in his cozy burrow, imagining activities aboveground. When he ventures outside to investigate, the sunlight and noise disorient him so much that he loses his way and falls asleep under a bush. Awakening at night, he cowers from two bright eyes of a scary creature that turns out to be a young wolf who is frightened of the dark. Mole and Wolf help each other through the night by making up games and chasing imaginary monsters. In the morning, they find their way home. Spare background landscapes in the watercolor and pencil illustrations focus attention on the delightful main characters.
VERDICT This simple but effective story will encourage children to overcome nighttime fears, especially with the help of others. The unlikely friendship of Mole and Wolf could continue to flourish in future adventures.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato
When light-averse Mole gets stuck in a bush with darkness-fearing Wolf, each has an idea. Everything proceeds smoothly but predictably--each animal compensates for the other's weakness, after which they strike up a friendship. The affecting mixed-media art makes up for the text's spelling out its obvious message ("I was scared, but having you there made everything okay").
Reviewed by Kimberly Tolson , Mar 01, 2016

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