Big Friends by Linda Sarah & Illus by Benji Davies

This book is the story of a friendship from the point of view of a somewhat shy boy.  

I LOVE THIS BOOK. No really, it is fabulous. Read it now!

Do you remember Storm Whale? I said I loved the art and needed to look into more books by Benji Davies. Well lo and behold, Clover brought one up. 

(Apparently I wouldn't see books if it were not for Clover bringing them to me. At this point, there is truth to this statement...)

These two friends, Birt and Etho were two perfectly happy box carriers.

 And they have good reason to be happy because their world is rather beautiful.

What they did together changed by the day,

But always, always they're Big Friends.

This picture! Seriously. I want a friend to sit on the shed of a roof to watch the sun go down with me. Okay, I am middle age-ish. I would really rather watch the sun from a comfy Adirondack chair. But still. 

 

My heart! 

Birt loved their Etho-Birtness. He loved their two-by-two rhythm.

But.... Shu is on the horizon. 

(By the way,  these names!) 

He descends upon their friendship with his cardboard box.

Birt is pretty hesitant about this interloper.  His hesitancy makes him feel left out in the cold. Or in this case, the rain.

They have fun with Shu,

But Birt feels strange.

This continues until Birt gets upset enough and finally destroys his ticket to this friendship--his cardboard box.  If he can't Etho to himself, he doesn't want him at all. 

Working with a child with autism last year, I can see so much of this inflexibility in him. This is not just a special needs situation though, because I distinctly remember feeling like this when a third wheel came into our protective twosome. Feeling poorly done by and cherishing that perceived hurt until it was intolerable. "Fine! If they don't like me!"

Etho and Shu kept knocking, but Birt pretended not to hear them.  

But he missed Etho. He missed their cardboard castles on Sudden Hill.

One morning, Birt decides to open the door. And...

 

Shu and Etho had built something they called Mr. ClimbFierce.

It's amazing!

An incredible Monster-Box-Creature thing.

 

In his excitement over the possibilities, Birt forgets to feel strange. He finds he is having a lot of fun!

Life is good again. Especially beacause a picnic involving bunting is happening.

Birt liked their Etho-Shu-Birtness. 

Isn't that fabulous? This book understands childhood friendships.