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Great books on friendship

Published 6:41 pm, Thursday, August 29, 2013
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Friendship requires a lot of give and take, patience, kindness and empathy. Sadly, there are some that "give" to "get." That doesn't yield genuine friendship.

Much of what we learn about being a friend comes from how we are raised, what we observe in friendships our parents establish, and our own life experiences. Today's reviewed books are about friendship and the different forms it can take.

Nobody is perfect, and when we stop expecting perfection in someone, the greater chance a true friendship can blossom -- one built on trust and belief in the goodness of that person. Remember, the kind of friend you are to others will likely be the kind of friend your child becomes. Make your example worth copying.

Books to borrow

This book is available at many public libraries.

"Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle," by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, Mary Nethery, photographs by various credits (Little, Brown, 2009, 44 pages)

Read aloud: ages 6--7 and older.

Read yourself: ages 8--10.

In the desert of western Iraq, Marine Maj, Brian Dennis and his 10 Marines found a pack of wild dogs, and the leader of the dog pack decided to befriend Brian. Brian named the dog Nubs, and the two became fast friends. Nubs, of course, had no way of knowing Marines weren't permitted to have pets.

Nubs tried to never be too far from Brian, but when Brian and his Marines had to relocate 70 miles away across the desert, Nubs followed. The path was treacherous, with little to eat and almost nothing to drink. When Nubs limped into the Iraqi battalion headquarters where Brian was working, Brian could hardly believe it. Their reunion was wonderful, but Brian knew he had to quickly find a way to save Nubs and get him to his home in America. With the help of many, that's precisely what happened.

An outstanding true story of the love and friendship between a human and a dog, this selection excels in many, many regards.

Librarian's choice

Library: The Ridgefield Library, 21 Governor St.

Library director: Christina B. Nolan

Head of Children's Services/Teen Services Librarian: Geri Diorio

Choices this week: "The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish," by Neil Gaiman; "When the Circus Came to Town," by Laurence Yep; "The Phantom Tollboot,h" by Norton Juster

Books to buy

These books are available at favorite booksellers.

"Chamelia and the New Kid in Class," written and illustrated by Ethan Long (Little, Brown, 2013, 36 pages, 16.99 hardcover)

Read aloud: ages 3 to 6.

Read yourself: ages 6 to 7.

Chamelia loves being the center of attention. On the first day of school, Chamelia is doing a song and dance routine about her summer vacation. Her classmates are enjoying her performance until their teacher introduces the new student, Cooper. Suddenly Cooper is the center of attention, and Chamelia is not very happy about that.

With each successive event, Chamelia becomes more and more jealous of Cooper, his talents, and how much the kids really like him.

When she finally decides to take serious action to recapture her audience, Chamelia suddenly understands how mean she is being and decides to take a different tactic -- kindness and friendship.

A powerful little book on several levels, this selection is a real winner.

"Mario Makes a Move," written and illustrated by Jill McElmurry (schwartz & wade, 2012, 32 pages, $16.99 hardcover)

Read aloud: ages 4 to 7.

Read yourself: age 7.

Mario is a squirrel who likes to invent amazing acrobatic moves. His family is always impressed with Mario's abilities and make certain to tell him so. Much to Mario's surprise, when he executes his best move for his friend, Isabelle, she isn't as impressed as Mario expected her to be. When Mario challenges Isabelle to try his "Amazing Amazer" move, she does, and quite well. This really throws Mario into a tailspin. What will he do now?

A wonderful, funny story about friendship, overcoming obstacles, and problem solving, "Mario Makes a Move" is spot-on in every regard.

Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at her website, www.greatestbooksforkids.com.

 
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