Make New Friends - by Joshua David Stein (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

An empathetic and reassuring picture book about the loaded question that every "new kid" or socially anxious child dreads: "Did you make any new friends today?"

A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year!

Tomasso doesn't know anyone at his new school and has no one to play with at recess. So, knowing his dad will ask, he resolves to make a few new friends.

Each day his crew grows; there's Roland (a foam ball), Coco (a milk carton), and Karen (a very pink eraser). But when his dad insists on having his friends over for pizza, Tomasso knows that soon his secret will be out. Will his dad welcome his new friends, even if they're not who he expects?

Written for any child who struggles with making friends or social anxiety, and featuring warm, witty illustrations, Make New Friends is both silly and sincere, inviting kids to trust the unconditional love and acceptance of a parent.

Review Quotes

***STARRED REVIEW***
"[H]ighly 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."-- "Booklist"

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Astutely observational colored pencil and watercolor illustrations by Di Giorgio portray a touching parent-child relationship"-- "Publishers Weekly"

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Stein's text captures the experience of loneliness with uncomplicated empathy, and the dynamic he establishes between the single father and son is simply lovely. The narrative's climax delivers affirmation with a just-right sweetness; this portrait of vulnerability offers both guidance to adults seeking to support the youngsters in their lives and reassurance for children... A tender, unexpected portrait of familial acceptance."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Joshua David Stein is an author, editor, and musician. He is a professional restaurant critic and coauthor of several cookbooks and chef's memoirs as well as many children's books, including Can I Eat That?; Brick: Who Found Herself in Architecture; The Ball Book; The Invisible Alphabet; Solitary Animals: Introverts of the Wild; and Lunch from Home. He is the founder of The Band Books, a band that performs children's books to music. Stein lives in Brooklyn with his two sons, Achilles and Augustus, and a doggie, Hermione. Mariachiara Di Giorgio is an illustrator, storyboard artist, and concept designer. She is the illustrator behind two wordless picture books, Professional Crocodile with writer Giovanna Zoboli and the acclaimed The Midnight Fair with writer Gideon Sterer. Her work has been exhibited at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and with the New York Society of Illustrators. She lives in Rome, Italy.