When a Friend Needs a Friend

January 1, 2023
Friends know when to be there and when to provide space. Aya's friend Oskar loves to build things with whatever materials are at hand. When they are together, they make up fanciful stories about his creations. They also like to take walks to a construction site where a relative of Oskar's works. Occasionally, Oskar goes through periods where he's in a sad mood. This time, it lasts awhile. Aya wants to cheer him up but isn't sure how. The construction workers tell Aya that "sometimes Oskar has big feelings" and needs space to experience them. While they're apart, Aya sends Oskar paper airplane notes, and Oskar builds a treehouse. Eventually, Oskar feels better, and the two friends visit the construction site for a special treat. This story of friendship through emotional times has an easygoing pace and tone. It's thematically appropriate, but ultimately there's not much to this tale. The collage-style art is cartoon- and childlike, "constructing" the scenes in mostly muted hues. Part of the unresolved impression comes from a lack of definition to the central problem; the brief author's note says the story was inspired by a friend who "struggles with sadness" and is meant to encourage children "to embrace all their emotions." Oskar is light-skinned, Aya has dark brown skin, and other characters are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A pleasant but vague take on grappling with big feelings. (Picture book. 4-7)

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March 1, 2023
A child tells a story about her friend Oskar, who loves to build things and visit construction sites but who also sometimes is sad and wants to be alone. The narrator finds Oskar's behavior confusing ("Had I done something to upset him?"), but she seeks advice and solace from mutual friends and sends Oskar notes on paper airplanes, patiently waiting for his sadness to pass. The mixed-media illustrations are a moving blend of naive and expressive, capturing a child's perspective with visible strokes of color and purposely askew collage elements. Recurring motifs lend a sense of harmony and support the emotional core of the story. Heart shapes appear on almost every page, reflecting the love that surrounds the narrator and Oskar. Arches curve up and down like smiles and frowns, reminding readers that emotions come and go. In a poignant double-page spread, four wordless panels represent Oskar's sadness, with him building a treehouse in winter and staying there alone until summer, when he's finally ready to play again. (His loyal dog never leaves his side, so Oskar's never truly alone.) This thoughtful book is sure to spark conversations between child readers and sympathetic adults. Adrienne L. Pettinelli

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

April 17, 2023
Roozeboos portrays big feels with sensitivity in this tender story about two best friends navigating one’s need for alone time. Oskar, a white-presenting child with curly red hair and round glasses, loves to build. He and narrating chum Aya, portrayed with brown skin and long brown hair, seem to be happy regulars at a construction site where workers, shown with various skin tones, greet them: “Hi, Little Buddies!” But Oskar also sometimes gets “quiet or grumpy,” and one day his emotions run so deep that he just wants to be left alone, leaving Aya unsure about how to react: “How could I comfort him? What could I say?” As Oskar builds a tall tree house that he occupies, solo, across multiple seasons, Aya sends paper airplanes from an open window. With support from the construction crew (“Sometimes Oskar has big feelings and needs a little space”), Aya eventually finds a way to connect with Oskar, and a metaphorical visual gestures toward the usefulness of gaining perspective. In a book that largely resists oversimplifying a child’s intense emotions, scribbly textures and mixed-media collages capture layered feelings, and reactions, on display across time. Ages 4–8.

May 1, 2023

PreS-Gr 2-This gentle, even-paced story follows Oskar and Aya, two friends who love to build things wherever they go. Sometimes Oskar is sad and Aya doesn't understand why. When he withdraws for awhile, Aya tries to find ways to help. Roozeboos uses bright, collage-style illustrations and includes dialogue in as if it's handwritten right on the page. Aya has brown skin and Oskar has light skin; the rest of the cast have various skin tones. The author notes that the story was inspired by a construction worker she knew who had a broken heart and a friend who struggled with sadness; this is an understandable starting point, but the sweet message is vague. Children may not grasp Oskar's feelings without the help of an compassionate caregiver. VERDICT There are many SEL books available that share a similar story in a more accessible way; pair this with Cori Doerrfeld's The Rabbit Listened or Trudy Ludwig's The Invisible Boy.-Heidi Dechief

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2023
A child tells a story about her friend Oskar, who loves to build things and visit construction sites but who also sometimes is sad and wants to be alone. The narrator finds Oskar's behavior confusing ("Had I done something to upset him?"), but she seeks advice and solace from mutual friends and sends Oskar notes on paper airplanes, patiently waiting for his sadness to pass. The mixed-media illustrations are a moving blend of naive and expressive, capturing a child's perspective with visible strokes of color and purposely askew collage elements. Recurring motifs lend a sense of harmony and support the emotional core of the story. Heart shapes appear on almost every page, reflecting the love that surrounds the narrator and Oskar. Arches curve up and down like smiles and frowns, reminding readers that emotions come and go. In a poignant double-page spread, four wordless panels represent Oskar's sadness, with him building a treehouse in winter and staying there alone until summer, when he's finally ready to play again. (His loyal dog never leaves his side, so Oskar's never truly alone.) This thoughtful book is sure to spark conversations between child readers and sympathetic adults.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)