An episodic early chapter book stars two darling friends who, like any good literary pair, encourage and antagonize one another in turn. In chapter one, “Chores and Cellos,” Rose, an expressive-eared pig, is procrastinating on doing the laundry. Breakfast is more important, and reading a magazine is more fun. Even bathing is better than laundry. Out in the yard, Rose finds Billy, a sheep, who has just finished his wash but is putting off practicing his cello, “a very big chore.” Each of them persuades the other to finish their dreaded task—and it’s not so bad when they do them side by side. Subsequent chapters show Billy and Rose blaming each other for their own athletic shortcomings before working together to improve, offering to be each other’s customer at their ice cream stand when no other buyers show up, and compromising on their sleepover location by meeting between their two houses with flashlights and sleeping bags. Set across the seasons, the four short, sweet, and humorous stories of these young friends are told in a generous black typeface on clean white backgrounds and illustrated with charming ink-and-watercolor art in a muted palette.     (Age 4-7)

Billy and Rose, friends with different ideas, always end up coming together in these charming stories from masterful creators Amy Hest and Kady MacDonald Denton.

Best friends Billy and Rose, an industrious sheep and a laid-back pig, sometimes see things differently. When they play catch, Rose insists that Billy throws too high, and he counters that she throws too low. While Rose thinks washing clothes is the world’s biggest chore, Billy contends that playing the cello holds that distinction. Still, these endearing friends always find a way to work things out: What if Billy plays a cello serenade for Rose while she does her laundry? After all, what they really want is to be together. These four sweet stories by beloved children’s author Amy Hest are filled with gentle wit and enhanced by Kady MacDonald Denton’s delightfully expressive illustrations.