When it comes to making friends, timing is everything. And when two people really click, magic can occur! The books below celebrate perfect pairings—companions who find each other at just the right moment.

TAKING FLIGHT WITH A FRIEND
A homebody learns what it’s like to step outside his comfort zone in Gus Gordon’s whimsical Somewhere Else (ages 4 to 8). George, a white duck who wears a tweed cap, is a rare bird, indeed. Content to stay in the kitchen and whip up pastries, he has no desire to explore the outside world. George’s mates stop inviting him on outings, except for his faithful bear friend, Pascal. When Pascal discovers why George sticks close to home (it’s a secret!), he’s determined to remedy the situation, and the two set off on an incredible journey in the sky. There’s a lot to look at in this appealing little book, thanks to Gordon’s ingenious, collage-like illustrations, which blend drawings, photographs and old newspaper clippings. This fanciful portrait of the power of companionship is sure to draw in young readers.

A CHANGE OF HEART
Tommy Greenwald’s Hooked (ages 4 to 6) is a warmhearted tale about fishing and family. A natural-born angler, young Joe has the focus and patience required to wait for a great catch. Not so his father, who finds the sport dull. “I like more action,” he says. “And I don’t like worms.” In search of company for his fishing excursions, Joe becomes a part of his local fishing club. When the group plans an ice fishing trip—an outing that requires parental accompaniment—Joe’s father reluctantly agrees to come along. The excursion doesn’t go quite as expected (Joe hooks a stuffed elephant!), but the two bond during their time on the ice. And when spring rolls around, Joe’s father is ready to cast a line. Illustrated with precision and delicacy by David McPhail, Hooked captures the special rapport that exists between father and son.

FRIENDSHIP IN THE FORECAST
The Pink Umbrella (ages 6 to 9) by Amélie Callot shows how small gestures of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life. Adele is the proprietress of the Polka-Dot Apron, a cheery café that she decorates with fresh flowers. The café is popular with customers thanks to Adele’s buoyant personality. Indeed, the only thing that can dampen her spirit is rain! When the weather is gloomy, Adele stays in bed and keeps the café closed. One day at work, she discovers a surprise: bright pink rain boots that fit her perfectly. The boots are the first of many rain-related gifts (a pink raincoat comes next) that she receives from an unknown well-wisher—gifts that give her a new appreciation for gray skies and lead to a wonderful friendship. Geneviève Godbout’s colorful, spirited illustrations add to the enchantment of Adele’s adventures. Readers of all ages will appreciate this ray-of-sunshine story.

As Aesop said, no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Two picture books contain memorable messages for kids learning to be kind in ways both big and small. Both feature a diverse cast of characters, showing young readers how to reach out to the vast world around them.

KIND ACTS MULTIPLYING
A simple incident of classroom embarrassment becomes occasion for an exquisite treatise on the subject of kindheartedness in Be Kind (ages 3 to 6). Tanisha, a young black girl, spills grape juice all over her new dress, causing her multiracial class to burst into laughter. The white narrator tries to help by announcing, “Purple is my favorite color.” The plan backfires, however, as Tanisha runs into the hallway, seemingly in tears.

While painting a picture for Tanisha in art class, the narrator ponders, “What does it mean to be kind anyway?” Many things, this student muses, such as making cookies for a lonely old neighbor, asking a new girl to be a partner, or saying hi to Omar or Rabbi Mandelbaum in the park. Pat Zietlow Miller―author of the marvelous Sophie’s Squash books―allows the narrator’s thoughts to meander from local (“Maybe I can only do small things.”) to global, as small acts “spill out of our school” and ”go all the way around the world.”

Jen Hill’s lively illustrations soulfully portray Tanisha’s mortification amid classroom giggles as the narrator looks on with concern. Subsequent pages reveal an array of characters whose kindnesses reach around the world to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. On its final pages, Be Kind returns to Tanisha’s dilemma, reaching a subtle, satisfying conclusion.

COME ONE, COME ALL
Open your heart and umbrella wide―that’s the message of this seemingly simple tale for preschoolers, The Big Umbrella (ages 4 to 8). A raincoat-clad child of indeterminate sex grabs an umbrella and heads out into the city streets. This anthropomorphized “big, friendly umbrella” that “likes to help” wears a big grin as it stretches wider and wider to shelter an increasingly diverse group: a runner, a ballerina, a huge duck, a hairy (but friendly) monster, a dog, and more. The final spread (“There is always room”) reveals a bustling, sun-filled street chockfull of diversity, including a woman in a hijab, a young man in a wheelchair and a dad sporting a Mohawk.

Author-illustrator Amy June Bates’ watercolor, gouache and pencil scenes provide the perfect backdrop for this heartwarming tale, co-written with her seventh-grade daughter, Juniper. Minimal text drives their message home, allowing the illustrations to become the focal point of this celebration of inclusion and generosity.

March is a time for paying tribute to the pioneering heroines who paved the way for the generations of women after them. Three new biographies for young readers will introduce three extraordinary ladies who made lasting contributions in science and math.

SNAKE CHARMER
With a title that’s hard to top, Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles, by Patricia Valdez, is sure to intrigue little readers. As a girl in London during the early 1900s, Procter entertained an unorthodox fondness for snakes, lizards and turtles, which she studied with keen enthusiasm. Well-suited for a career in science, she eventually became curator of the Reptile House at the London Zoo—the first woman to hold the position. Asked to redesign the Reptile House, Procter created a cutting-edge enclosure with light and heat, along with plants similar to those found in the creatures’ native environments. Her career took off when two Komodo dragons—seven-foot-long lizards, one of whom Procter befriended—are brought to the zoo, attracting worldwide attention. Felicita Sala’s soft, colorful illustrations bring the story of Procter and her cherished reptiles to vivid life. There’s plenty to love about this playful biography of a trailblazing zoologist.

A KNACK FOR NUMBERS
Tanya Lee Stone chronicles the remarkable career of a 19th-century math whiz in Who Says Women Can’t Be Computer Programmers? The Story of Ada Lovelace. The daughter of poet Lord Byron, who deserted the family early on, young Ada was raised in Kent, England, by the strict Lady Byron. In an effort to curb any capriciousness her daughter might have inherited from her flighty father, Lady Byron made sure Ada received a first-rate education with an emphasis on mathematics. But there was no denying Ada’s creative side—she longed to design a pair of wings or a horse-shaped flying machine. When Ada met inventor Charles Babbage and assisted him with his calculating device, the Analytical Engine, she wrote what’s considered to be the first computer program. Stone’s story of how she comes into her own as a mathematician features whimsical illustrations by the incomparable Marjorie Priceman. Inspiring from start to finish.

MAKING HISTORY IN THE LAB
Demi provides a fact-filled yet accessible biography of a groundbreaking female physicist in Marie Curie. Born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, Marie—called Manya by her family—was an eager student who was captivated by her physics-teacher father’s scientific instruments. But she experienced her share of hardships and made the best of it after the deaths of her mother and sister. Given the opportunity to study in Paris, Marie attended the Sorbonne and graduated at the top of her class with degrees in physics and math. While in Paris, she also met and married like-minded scientist Pierre Curie. In the midst of raising children and keeping house, she conducted important research with Pierre involving radiation. The hard work paid off when the pair received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics. The first woman to receive the award, Marie had a history-making career. Demi’s luminous, finely detailed illustrations enliven this fascinating tale of a rare genius.

Nothing’s better than a spending a long, lazy day at the seashore! Get the young ones ready for summer with these three buoyant tales of fun in the sun.

AN UNEXPECTED CONNECTION
Lori Mortensen’s If Wendell Had a Walrus (ages 4 to 8) is the heartwarming story of one boy’s quest to find an out-of-the-ordinary companion. Wendell dreams of having a walrus as a sidekick. They’d tell jokes (“What do walruses like to chew? Blubber gum.”), climb trees and build forts. Hoping to find this longed-for friend, Wendell heads to the seashore, where he throws a bottle containing a message—addressed to a walrus—into the water. At the beach, he crosses paths with a boy who’s on a similar quest, and the two become buddies. Wendell soon finds that there’s no longer a need to wish for a walrus thanks to his newfound human pal. Illustrated by Matt Phelan, whose vivid pencil and watercolor illustrations lend a special charm to the story, this richly imaginative tale is filled with the warmth of sun, sand and true companionship.

TEAMWORK BY THE SEA
Megan Maynor’s delightful book The Sandcastle That Lola Built (ages 3 to 5) demonstrates the importance of creativity and community. During a perfect beach day, Lola is erecting a fancy sand tower, complete with sea glass, when a foot squashes her construction. The foot belongs to a boy with a Frisbee, whom Lola enlists to help repair the damage. They’re soon joined by a youngster with a toy bulldozer who digs a moat around the castle. As their work progresses, a girl collecting shells joins the squad. When a wave wipes out the castle, Lola is heartbroken until her mates persuade her to build again. Inspired by the classic nursery rhyme “This Is the House That Jack Built,” Maynor’s book is a fresh and fun take on the traditional tale. Kate Berube’s mixed-media illustrations bring texture and color to this high-spirited tale of teamwork.

FOURTH OF JULY FUN
Pie Is for Sharing (ages 2 to 6), by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard is a lovely tale that takes place during a summer celebration. Starting with homemade pies being passed around by a group of youngsters picnicking on a lakefront beach, the story moves on to other items that can be shared, including a book, a ball, the branches of a tree and a sun-warmed towel. Ledyard’s text is lyrical and poetic: “Other things for sharing: a jump rope, your place in the middle, a rhyme, time . . . ” Jason Chin’s watercolor and gouache illustrations are beautifully realistic and add extra appeal to the story. Ledyard’s tale ends with a Fourth of July fireworks show—an impressive display that the group enjoys together. The upshot of this sweet story: Happiness means making sure everyone gets a piece of the pie.

Two new picture books feature a cast of furry friends who delight in goofy wordplay. Young readers will learn about rhyming and the creative possibilities of language—that is, if they can stop giggling long enough.

If your good-bye idioms are limited to alligators and crocodiles, Take a Hike, Miles and Spike!, the hilarious picture book from the creative duo behind the equally funny Give Me Back My Book!, will expand your rolodex of farewell phrases. As hounds Miles and Spike walk past all sorts of woodland and farm animals, they bid such rhyming departures as “Take care, Grizzly Bear!” and “Peace out, Rainbow Trout!” But the digitally enhanced, comic-like illustrations set against vibrant colors reveal that these canine companions are not as friendly as their words suggest. Instead, they help themselves to logs from the moose’s forest, corn from the crow’s pasture and flowers from the butterfly’s garden, cramming them all into their backpacks.

When the dogs, thirsty from trying to carry the now heavy packs, try to claim a water source for their own, the other animals decide that they have had enough: “Take a hike, Miles and Spike,” they yell. Miles and Spike realize their mistakes and return the pillaged items, hoping to make amends and regain the trust of their friends. They invite the other animals to join in their excursion, resulting in more amusing rhymes from “Want to go, Buffalo?” to “Join the fun, everyone!” Miles and Spike prove that learning manners can be enjoyable.

KNOCKOUT GIGGLES
Who doesn’t like a good knock-knock joke? Bear is in his comfy pajamas under a warm quilt, and he’s ready for bed. Right when he’s about to fall asleep, he hears a loud knock, or rather a “KNOCK KNOCK” at the door. After Bear asks who’s there, he hears that it’s Justin. Of course, the groggy Bear wonders, “Justin who?” It’s a fox carrying a large stack of firewood who’s “Justin the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by!” Soon there are more knocks—and more puns—as birds arrive with streamers, a raccoon shows up with a pot of soup and other woodland friends come bearing cupcakes, balloons and hot chocolate.

Even more entertaining than author Tammi Sauer’s wordplay in Knock Knock are the colorful and comical illustrations from Guy Francis that depict the adorable animals with animated features. While the woodland creatures happily take over Bear’s home, his mounting annoyance and sleepiness are evident. With clues in the illustrations, young readers will understand the jokes and recognize that the animals’ preparations are for a surprise hibernation party for Bear long before the character does. And as the friends tuck Bear into his bed for the winter, observant children will also notice fun details like a Goldilocks bedtime story. When the season turns to spring, it’s Bear who has the last laugh. Awake with renewed energy, he hurriedly sets out to visit his friends, giving a knock—or rather a “KNOCK KNOCK”—on their doors. This amusing picture book is for readers who can grin and bare a clever pun.

It’s never too early to teach kids about acceptance and compassion. This month’s roundup features three uplifting titles that focus on the importance of creating unity in a world that’s often defined by difference.

FORGING FRIENDSHIPS
In his irresistible new tale, The Wall in the Middle of the Book, Jon Agee uses a smart premise to impart important lessons about camaraderie and connection. A brick wall splits each spread of the book into two sections: A pint-size knight stands on one side, and a group of fearsome creatures—a tiger, a rhino and (oh no!) an enormous ogre—stand on the other. The knight is thankful for the protection that the brick divide provides. But when an emergency occurs and help quickly arrives from the other side of the wall, he realizes that friendship can arise when it’s least expected. Agee’s appealing illustrations and clever approach to storytelling make this a standout story. With a valuable message about conquering fear and reaching out to others, it has the makings of a classic.

CREATING COMMUNITY
Bestselling adult author Dave Eggers introduces readers to the concepts of community and public engagement in the smart, accessible What Can a Citizen Do? In this inspiring book, a diverse cast of young change-makers transform an isolated island into an inviting space and provide a sense of belonging to an unexpected guest—a bear in pink pants! Eggers weaves simple civics principles into the whimsical plotline, and his rhyming text is full of memorable quotes: “A citizen’s not what you are—a citizen is what you do. A citizen cannot forget the world is more than you.” Shawn Harris’ dynamic illustrations, creatively rendered in paper collage, provide an easy point of entry for readers. Parents who are looking to cultivate community-mindedness in their little ones will find rich lessons here.

OVERCOMING MISCONCEPTIONS
In The Very Last Castle, Travis Jonker tells the story of a town with a mystery at its center: a strange, medieval-looking fortress. “For reasons no one could remember,” Jonker writes of the castle, “no one ever came out. And no one was allowed in.” Young Ibb passes the castle each day and wonders what’s inside. (Her grandfather says snakes; her friend Alex suspects giants.) After Ibb bonds with the castle’s lonely caretaker, she persuades him to let the community in. Soon the townspeople are welcome onto the grounds, where they find a world of beauty and enchantment. In his striking watercolor illustrations, Mark Pett depicts Ibb as a spunky girl in yellow boots. She’s a heroine with an open heart, an open mind and the courage to ignore preconceived notions. Youngsters will love this story of discovery and acceptance.

We’re spotlighting a group of terrific new picture book biographies for young readers that focus on the lives of three outstanding artists. Their stories prove that while the path to achievement is often indirect, with perseverance, anything is possible.

RISE OF A ROCK ICON
Michael Mahin’s When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana (ages 4 to 8) provides an intriguing look at the life of the Mexican-American guitar whiz known as Santana. Following in the footsteps of his violin-playing father, young Carlos longs to be a musician. His father’s violin produces “a sound that made angels real,” and Carlos, seeking to replicate its effect, moves through a range of instruments, finally connecting with la guitarra. During his teenage years in 1960s San Francisco, Carlos encounters new sounds and influences, including the Beatles and B.B. King, which he synthesizes into what becomes his signature Latin-rock style. With the formation of the Santana Blues Band, his musical dreams come true. Mahin mixes Spanish terms into a narrative that’s fact-filled yet poetic, and José Ramírez’s folk-art inspired illustrations provide the perfect complement to the text. This an accessible and appealing introduction to a game-changing guitarist.

VISIONS OF THE U.S.
Hudson Talbott chronicles the life of a groundbreaking painter in Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art (ages 6 to 8). As a young lad in his native Britain, Thomas Cole (1801-1848) roams the countryside, making sketches from nature. In 1818, he and his family immigrate to America, eventually settling in New York, and his interest in art solidifies. Encouraged by a patron, Cole explores the wilderness of his adopted home. A boat trip up the Hudson River provides him with the inspiration for grand, expansive landscape paintings and inaugurates a new art movement, characterized by a spirit of inquiry and exploration, known as the Hudson River School. Talbott has written a fascinating account of Cole’s career, and his gorgeous watercolor illustrations do their subject justice. At once entertaining and instructive, this lovely biography is just right for young readers with artistic aspirations.

PASSION FOR FASHION
An esteemed photographer who documented New York City’s street-fashion scene for almost four decades, Bill Cunningham died in 2016 at the age of 87. Deborah Blumenthal tells his story in the delightful Polka Dot Parade: A Book About Bill Cunningham (ages 4 to 8). A Boston native, Cunningham made hats for a time before turning to photography—an art he taught himself. Exploring Manhattan by bike, he captured the city’s fashion-forward inhabitants with his camera, and his snaps appeared regularly in the New York Times. Cunningham’s instinct for fashion earned him acclaim and honors, including the Legion of Honor from the French government. Masha D’yans brings Cunningham and his sartorially splendid subjects to vivid life in whimsical watercolor illustrations. This loving tribute is the perfect way to acquaint a new generation with Cunningham’s contributions to the culture of couture.