  | Make new friends Author: Stein, Joshua David | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Struggling to make friends at his new school, Tomasso creates his own playmates by drawing faces on found objects, but he worries about how his father will react.
| Illustrator: | Di Giorgio, Mariachiara |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (08/01/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 08/18/2025 Tomasso, the new kid at school, feels the weight of his father’s well-intentioned daily question: "Did you make any new friends?" Rather than admit he’s sitting by himself at lunch, Tomasso begins creating companions, drawing smiling faces on a milk carton, an eraser, and other objects he finds around school; giving them names; and creating stories to tell Dad at dinner. Eager to celebrate his son’s adjustment, Dad nudges Tomasso to invite the new friends for pizza, and the story reaches an extraordinary crescendo. Astutely observational colored pencil and watercolor illustrations by Di Giorgio portray a touching parent-child relationship throughout, but when Dad is confronted with his son’s literalized coping mechanism, readers may find themselves holding their breath around his reaction. Dad’s ability to meet Tomasso exactly where he is becomes a profoundly moving display of parental love and, as the final pages hint, may even pave the way for genuine connection in the outside world. Protagonists are shown with pale skin; background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) - Copyright 2025
Booklist - 09/01/2025 *Starred Review* On Tomasso's first day as the new kid at school, a few of his classmates say hi, but most ignore him. That evening, after Dad returns from work, he asks his son two questions, “How was school?” “Fine,” Tomasso replies. “Did you make any new friends?” “Not yet, . . . but I will.” The next day at recess, Tomasso has no playmates, but he finds an old ball, draws two eyes on it, and names it Roland. Next he discovers a little pink ball, draws eyes and a mouth on it, and calls it Barry. Sitting alone at lunchtime, he draws two eyes and a smile on his milk carton, which he names Coco. That evening, he tells Dad a little about his friends. Relieved, his father insists that Tomasso brings them home for pizza on Thursday. Tension builds for Tomasso, who wonders how his father will react to Roland, Barry, and Coco, the odd-looking friends he has literally made. Created with colored pencils and watercolor, the highly expressive, captivating illustrations bolster the story’s appeal. With its familiar settings and a plot based on common problems and creative solutions, this deeply satisfying picture book ends with hilarity and joy. Fittingly, Tomasso delivers the amusing last line of the narrative. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
