Picturebook Review: Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever by Julianne Moore and LeUyen Pham

Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever, written by Julianne Moore and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is a great picturebook about friendship and being true to yourself.  Freckleface Strawberry and her friend 'Windy Pants' Patrick have a lot in common. They both have nicknames, love lunch,  and are a different size from the rest of the class. They also have big differences, which never mattered much to them before. However, the kids t school have started to point out those differences and the dividing line between girls and boys has been drawn. Decisions to go along with the crowd keep the friends apart, but nothing seems quite as fun as it used to.

Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever gives readers a look at how friendships can be ignored or lost when we listen to what everyone else thinks we should do, rather than listening to our own hearts. for young children, this book can help bridge the gap between boys and girls, particularly at the ages when the divides begin to form. thus far, both of my children find much more entertainment in hanging out with children of the opposite gender, which causes makes me both happy and a little concerned since they both seem to hold court where ever they go.

I think that Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever speaks to the fears kids of all ages have of appearing strange or different from everyone, and encourages them to embrace the people and things about themselves that make them happy rather than just doing what they are told they should. I highly recommend this book for every child, since we all have something different about us and should hold on to true friendships.the bright colors and message would hold up well as a book for reading aloud in a one on one setting or a classroom or library storytime.