Henry and Ruby. Ruby and Henry. Best friends. (Most of the time.) They give the best gifts and know the best games and are the best at keeping secrets. (Most of the time.) But even when Henry and Ruby don't get along, they know one thing: nothing is the same without your best friend. Henry and Ruby. Ruby and Henry. They belong together. All of the time. K-Gr 3–This title provides an excellent springboard for conversations about friendship. Ruby and Henry are best friends–most of the time. Each one knows exactly what the other wants for birthdays. They easily fall into balance and choose complementary roles when playing pirates. They also know how to push each other's buttons, by sharing secrets when they know they shouldn't. Ruby is jealous when Henry swims well and she sinks in the pool. Despite all of this, they know their young lives wouldn't be the same without the other. When they are angry or apart, they miss all the wonderful character traits the other brings to the relationship. Ruby is a leader, always willing to try new things. Henry is the sturdy, reliable one and admires how she makes everything fun. Joosse uses some of the text in a dialogue format, the characters responding as if they were being interviewed, providing this picture book with a pre-chapter-book feel. Sections are loosely separated by a rhyme. Lively watercolor illustrations express the children's moods and provide vibrancy to the theme. Teachers and librarians will enjoy sharing this title with groups, and children can read it independently. Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY © Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. This ode to the rocky road of friendship boasts one narrative innovation: a he said/she said structure, seldom seen in picture books. The approach is rare for a reason—it’s easy to confuse young readers—and Joosse gets through it with mixed results. Friends Ruby and Henry are easy to identify with: they get each other good birthday gifts, they play circus, they pretend to be pirates . . . but sometimes they are “unfriends,” too, splashing water on beach towels and tattling secrets. Narrating duties are alternated, and occasionally this works wonders—especially during a nice dual illustration of the two of them in their respective beds wondering about their friendship: “What if Ruby finds another best friend? Nothing would be funny. Nothing would be regular.” Milian’s skewed perspectives and bright colors keep things peppy, though Joosse’s text takes too many turns, sometimes rhyming, sometimes not, breaking out into a couple of italicized stanzas for no real purpose. But if you have a kid feud you need to quell, this may be just the thing. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus “An excellent springboard for conversations about friendship.” — School Library Journal “The swift, zesty lines and breezy watercolor hues have a retro flair that resembles that of an airier Steven Salerno.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Henry and Ruby. Ruby and Henry. Best friends. (Most of the time.) They give the best gifts and know the best games and are the best at keeping secrets. (Most of the time.) But even when Henry and Ruby don't get along, they know one thing: nothing is the same without your best friend. Henry and Ruby. Ruby and Henry. They belong together. All of the time. Barbara Joosse is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including Mama, Do You Love Me? , illustrated by Barbara Lavallee, Roawr! , illustrated by Jan Jutte, and Higgledy-Piggledy Chicks , illustrated by Rick Chrustowski. She lives with her family in a cozy old stone house in Wisconsin. Tomaso Milian was born in Rome, Italy, and spent a large part of his childhood in Venice. He's now a creative director and graphic designer in the field of publishing. Tomaso Milian lives with his wife, Rachel, and two children, Emma and Max, in Brooklyn, New York. This is his first book.