Pip and Posy: The New Friend

PreS-Gr 1—In Pip and Posy's seventh adventure, they go to the beach, and Posy must decide how to react when her best friend Pip makes a new friend without her. Scheffler's trademark gouache artwork lushly details every scene and vividly conveys small nuances on characters' faces. Large, bold text accompanies Pip, a bunny, and Posy, a mouse, as they unpack their beach supplies and engage in typical shore activities: collecting shells, digging holes, and wading in the ocean. Extension opportunities exist as well, making this an ideal picture book for reading aloud. For example, minor characters fly kites, hang glide, and sail in the background; storytellers can ask children what sorts of play they enjoy at the seashore. When Posy takes a nap after splashing in the water, Pip meets a new friend, Zac, a dog. Pip and Zac take part in many antics, so by the time Posy wakes up, she definitely feels left out. A quivering lip and tremulous brow convey her emotions, but it's how Posy combats her problem that is at the heart of this simple tale. When Zac and Pip leave for ice cream, Posy chooses to trail after them and buy ice cream, too, instead of staying behind. When Zac's ice cream is stolen by a seagull, Posy uses her last coin to buy him another cone. This kind act helps Posy join Zac and Pip's group, reminding Pip of her generous nature. At the end of the story, Pip asks Posy what she'd like to do, and they end up building a huge sand castle together.