I Am a Good Friend

PreS-Gr 2–“Being a good friend takes a lot of patience…but it’s worth it.” This central idea runs throughout this story intending to help children see how the intent behind their actions matters less than the impact. The main character, who has light skin, was created digitally, and has somewhat stiff expressions, is known as “the girl.” She is excited to spend the day in the forest with her animal friends and doing good deeds for them, all the while unaware the animals may not share this sentiment. The girl happily plays hide-and-seek with the squirrels’ food, builds a house for a snail, and shares lunch with the crows. In reality, the girl is creating more work for these animals because she doesn’t understand their needs. After a run-in with the crows, the girl realizes how the impact of her actions may have been different from her intent and quickly tries to right her wrongs. Climo’s illustrations, so charming in You’re Loved, are flat and cheerless and don’t advance the notion that our own experiences are not the only ones that matter. However, the story falters, especially in the arbitrary way the child realizes the impact of her misguided actions. The conclusion of the story and greeting-card messages about how friends should behave may require discussion for children to fully understand.