New Friend

The New Friend

By Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrator Benjamin Chaud

Hardcover

Price: $17.99

  • Publication Date: November 2, 2021
  • Imprint: Milky Way Picture Books
  • Trim Size: 8 12 x 10 34
  • ISBN: 9781990252013
  • Page Count: 44
  • Illustrations: Full-color illustrations throughout
  • Rights: World English

A Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year

A poignant evocation of childhood pain and jealousy at the desertion of a best friend, with a message of optimism and empowerment

A child reminisces about the many moments of joy and playfulness he used to share with his dear old companion, who has, sadly, made a new friend. Although he is sad, he finds the strength to keep his head high and sets out to find a new playmate.

Praise

“The devoted friendship of two children ends without warning . . . This all-too-common childhood experience is dramatized with an emotional honesty that, refreshingly, skirts sentimentality.”—Kirkus (starred review)
 
Kirkus
Zolotow’s gentle, introspective text, honest about the narrator’s anger and sadness, is now accompanied by new but vintage-feeling illustrations from Chaud.  (...) A hopeful but not too neat story of a situation likely to be relatable to many.
The Horn Book

About the author

Iconic American author Charlotte Zolotow (1915–2013) was also a poet, editor, and publisher of over 70 picture books for children. Her work was published by more than 20 different houses (many of which she has outlived!). In 1998, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, which recognizes outstanding writing in a published picture book, was created.
 
Benjamin Chaud was born in the Hautes-Alpes, and studied drawing and applied arts at both the Arts Appliqués in Paris and the Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg. His work has received multiple awards and his books have been recommended by the New York Times. He is also a three-time nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2017, 2018, and 2020). Chaud has worked with numerous publishers, including Albin Michel and Actes Sud, and his award-winning books have been translated into over 20 languages.