It Is Okay

PreS-Gr 2–Balance is the operative word in this lovely picture book: between white space and soft swaths of color, bright and muted colors, mono-printed background and tiny details, large white Goat and small brown bunny. The story itself is about the balance required to form and keep meaningful friendships. Goat and Bunny meet at the store and bond over their shared love of canned grass, and soon they find that they love spending time together doing things like drinking coffee, picnicking, and riding the train. But the two are also quite different: Bunny likes a lot of sugar in his coffee while Goat takes his black, but “it is okay, because they can still enjoy coffee together.” Both like exploring, and even though Bunny worries about getting lost, Goat can always find his way back by using his map. Like the delicate art, friendship requires balance, as well as compromise and understanding. Without being at all didactic, the message is clear: “Goat and Bunny are very different,” the story says. “But it is okay.”