When I’m With You

K-Gr 2–Miller and Wheeler team up for another rhyming rainfall of word-sounds and picture-play. This time, it’s an ode to life-long friendship. After slightly clunky introductory stanzas, Miller’s gems shine all the way to the end. From the somewhat expected, “You’re the apple on my tree, you’re the honey to my bee,” to completely original, “You’re the basket on my bike, you’re the canteen on my hike,” adults will love reading this aloud and children will revel in the intricate illustrations that seamlessly incorporate fantastic elements (mermaids in the fish tank, a pirate ship at the beach) with the everyday, showing the imaginative connection friends share in life. Like their first two books Wherever You Go and When You Are Brave, the text reads more like song lyrics than a narrative, but Wheeler’s fresh illustration style done in ink, watercolor, acrylic paint, wax pastels, and collage give readers plenty of story to live in. While younger readers may not completely be able to conceptualize, “Even if we’re ninety-two,” they’ll take comfort in the idea that no matter how many birthdays they have, “You’re the candle for my cake, you’re my favorite wish to make,” friendships really can last a lifetime.