I Am a Great Friend!

by Lauren Stohler (Author) Lauren Stohler (Illustrator)

I Am a Great Friend!
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A baby capybara learns the best way to make true friends is by being yourself in this whimsically wonderful picture book from the author of The Problem with Pajamas.

Baby Capybara is a great friend. After all, no one else can create obstacle courses, follow treasure maps, or make perfect mud pies. So why is he the only capybara without a beautiful bevy of birds perched on his back? He tries to be more like the other capybaras: he floats calmly, he naps quietly, and he even chews slowly--still no flock!

But when an unexpected critter splashes onto the scene, Baby Capybara realizes that, instead of changing himself to fit in, maybe there's someone out there who loves the same things he does!

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

A sweet combination of silly and tender.

Publishers Weekly

Birds of a feather do indeed flock together in this comedic friendship tale by Stohler (The Problem with Pajamas). Baby Capybara's family takes "long, luxurious naps," floats "peacefully in the water, swirling their cute webbed toes," and calmly carries a bevy of equally sedate bird friends on their backs. Baby Capybara, on the other hand, who wears blue goggles, arrives at the pond like a rambunctious wrecking ball, crashing, skidding, and shouting. "I DON'T GET IT," indicates the mirthful rodent; he engages in enjoyable activities, including bubble blowing, drum playing, and making obstacle courses. "SO, WHERE'S MY BIRDS?" When his mother advises that the key to attracting others is to do things that they enjoy, he gives it a go, napping so efficiently that "I GOT BIRDS!" But the curious flock that assembles doesn't stick around when he tries to take them "pond jumping, fruit squishing, and capybara dodging." Back at the watering hole, and more certain than ever of his stellar friend-appeal, Baby Capybara happens upon a critter who likes him and his loud ways just the way they are. Comics-style digital art portrays numerous sunny pondside scenes, while well-timed speech bubbles and kinetic images capture the way that boisterous and tender-hearted Baby Capybara makes an impression, playing out an endearing, very relatable journey about finding a true friend to click with. Ages 4-8. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Apr.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

There's something irresistible about Baby Capybara. . . . The highs, lows, and in betweens of seeking connection are laid out humorously yet truthfully. This could easily be read just for entertainment or as a conversation starter around a variety of social-emotional skills. It is nimble, just like Baby Capybara. A sweet combination of silly and tender. — Kirkus Reviews
Lauren Stohler
Lauren Stohler lives and works with her husband Gareth in Connecticut, where they create art and pug poetry under their top-secret internet pseudonym, @Inkpug. When not writing stories or drawing pictures, they are probably on a walk to the ice cream shop. Lauren is the author of picture books The Best Worst Poet Ever, The Problem with Pajamas, and I Am a GREAT Friend!. Find out more at Inkpug.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781665918336
Lexile Measure
540
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
April 25, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV002160 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Mammals
Library of Congress categories
Fiction
Friendship
Animals
Picture books
Individuality
Animal fiction
Capybara

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!