You're Not My Best Friend Anymore - Hardcover

Kindergarten-Grade 2AThis earnest look at conflict and reconciliation will be most appreciated by adults wishing to review relationship skills with young listeners. Molly and Ben are neighbors and friends. Their falling out comes when they can't agree on which tent to purchase with their combined allowances. Although they stay angry for several days, all is forgiven when they give one another sleeping bags as birthday gifts and decide to camp out together in the backyard. Unfortunately, there is little development of characters or conflict so that the happy ending seems forced and abrupt. Small details show both the kids' closeness and their antagonism. When they are getting along, they often choose to wear the same T-shirts. When trouble looms, they wear different shirts, sit at different tables in the lunchroom, and stop doing their homework together. Many of the watercolor paintings are full page. On some pages, however, Soman links smaller illustrations with larger pictures of the children's shirts, a technique that varies the page layout and adds interest. This visual link also provides a pleasing counterpoint to Pomerantz's sometimes staccato text. While there are plenty of books celebrating compromise and encouraging children to get along, it's a message we can all stand to hear (at least) one more time.ALisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Molly and Ben live in the same two family house, wear identical shirts to school, sit together in the lunch room, and, since their birthdays are only five days apart, share a single party every year. It's a beautiful friendship that hits the rocks when they can't agree on the kind of tent to buy with their collective savings. After nearly a week of not speaking, they reluctantly agree to have their party ``for the sake of the grown-ups,'' and discover that they've both spent all their money buying each other sleeping bags. Rift mended, they camp out together that night in the yard. In realistic, golden-toned watercolors, Soman artfully captures his young characters (one of whom is African-American) passing through annoyance, anger, regret, and loneliness before moving back to contentment. Conflict resolution is a common theme, but it's rare and refreshing to see children work out their differences on their own, without adult advice. (Picture book. 6-7) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.