  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/01/2019 The author of This Is Not a Valentine (2017) offers here another take on unconventional friendships. Chipmunk Maurice rides his bicycle all over town, selling fresh lemonade. Meanwhile, Porcupine Lotta pedals a slightly different route, collecting sticks to give away. One day paths cross and they crash, ruining both bikes and disrupting routines. Eventually both wander to Sid’s Bike Shop, where they discover that the clever raccoon has repaired both bicycles, creating a unique tandem. Higgins’ gentle story celebrates the ways in which serendipity can lead to friendship and sharing. OHora’s cozy characters, rendered in brightly colored acrylics, manage to look friendly and approachable even when they are bummed, and a secondary cast (including a jogging hippo, a cat who walks dogs, and Sid) make cameos throughout with minor story lines. Chartreuse and teal predominate, accented in magenta and lemon; compositions include a mix of full-page spreads and smaller panels. The endpapers depict a map of the park area, making it easy to follow Maurice’s and Lotta’s paths. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. School Library Journal - 04/01/2019 PreS-Gr 2—Higgins's latest offering is a fun story of two bicycle enthusiasts who accidentally meet and develop a friendship. Maurice owns a lemonade stand on wheels, while Lotta rides around collecting sticks to distribute from the basket on her bike. When the two crash and are left to manage on foot, a crafty Sid intervenes and saves the day. The narrative is lyrical and charming, with "squeezy drops of sunshine" lemons and heartfelt adoration for the possibility found in twigs. OHora's acrylic illustrations are quirky, and the characters' expressions are endearing. The page layouts shift from full page to comic book–style panels, which in some cases could lead to a little confusion for newly independent readers and may make the title better as a one-on-one read rather than a larger group share for storytime. However, the tale's message, that sometimes things that were once new can quickly become familiar and comfortable, particularly when making friends, is solid encouragement for young readers. VERDICT A sweet story of friendship, full of musings about potential that can be inspiring to imaginative minds. This is a good read for those in search of some whimsy and warmth.—Kaitlin Malixi, Kensington Health Sciences Academy, Philadelphia - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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