3 June 2022 SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL by Lita Judge, Simon and Schuster/Atheneum, June 2022, 40p., ISBN: 978-1-5344-8513-6

“Everything is beautiful in its own way”

– Ray Stevens (1970)

“ ‘Cause your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends

The more we get together the happier we’ll be”

– Raffi (1976)

Ever since the publication of RED SLED, more than a decade ago, I’ve been in love with Lita Judge’s comically expressive animal characters. SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, Ms. Judge’s upcoming picture book guide to making new friends, is her best work yet. 

“Mouse, Elephant, and Giraffe had so much in common. They liked the same games.

‘Eight, nine, ten – ready or not, here I come’

They ate the same snacks. They needed no one else.

But then Porcupine said, ‘Hi!’

At first, Mouse, Elephant, and Giraffe weren’t sure about someone new.

After all, he wasn’t good at their games, and he ate strange snacks. But they never knew that they loved to climb trees until Porcupine taught them how.”

It’s worth reading SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL just to see the expressions on the birds who discover Mouse, Elephant, Giraffe, and Porcupine perched up in their treetop.

After meeting up with Porcupine, the growing crew of friends crosses paths with Warthog and then Lion. As with Porcupine, incorporating more new friends–no matter how different they look and act–results in new perspectives, new ideas, new fun, and new magic. 

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL will be a popular circle time read that begs to be reread. It promotes inclusivity rather than exclusivity, and encourages making friends with the new kid. These are simple schoolyard lessons that can directly lead to broadening perspectives and more tolerance and peace in the world. That’s why I am so appreciative of this hoot of a tale.

Richie Partington, MLIS

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