A friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song

In classroom six, in company with seven other children, Henry is looking for a friend. He considers the class goldfish and his teacher, but they're not quite right. So he tries to make friends with the other kids. Vivianne loves rainbows and even though she is messy and loud and gets too close, Henry tries to be a friend. But she doesn't understand. Samuel loves reading time like Henry, but he doesn't understand about lining the carpet squares up just right. "Samuel was a thunderstorm, booming and crashing." and he's not the right friend for Henry. Henry has tried everyone it seems, but nobody is right. When he and Katie end up watching Gilly, the class fish, together. Henry decides to consider one more person as a friend.

It turns out, Katie is just the right friend for Henry. They may not be the same, but they have many things in common and they can work together on the other things. The next day, Henry waits happily for his new friend to slide down the big slide and feels just right.

The author, Jenn Bailey, wrote this story based on her sons' experience in forming friendships. One of them, like Henry, is on the autism spectrum. Mika Song, the illustrator, uses a deft touch to portray this quiet story. The small classroom is diverse, with Henry's teacher and new friend both representing as black and Henry as Asian. The illustrations are shown in small insets on the white pages, capturing Henry's isolation and struggles to connect. Eventually, Henry's world expands to include Katie in it and he ends the story with a quiet and satisfied expression.

Verdict: This would be a great story to read to incoming kindergarten or first grade students. It will take some guidance from an adult to remind children to be mindful of their and their classmates' differences and needs, but it's a very nonjudgmental explanation of how different people can be friends and that different behaviors are just that - different. Henry understands that even though he isn't comfortable with what the other kids do, there isn't anything wrong with it - or with his preferences either. It's a little long for a traditional storytime and I think younger kids won't catch the nuances of the story though.

ISBN: 9781452167916; Published 2019 by Chronicle; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library