The Perfect Friend

By Yelena Romanova

Hilarious, colorful, and richly imagined pictures provide a highly original twist on a classic theme in children's literature in which a dog discovers a best friend. Full color.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374358214
• ISBN13: 9780374358211
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.3" x 0.5" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 1

Customer Reviews

My new favorite picture book about dogs

A dog named Archie yearns for "a friend to play with, someone to throw a ball for him to catch." Archie's family provides him with a series of friends that don't quite fit the bill (a fish, a bunny). Then the latest friend comes along..."a wriggling, snuffling bundle in a cradle"! The illustrations in this book are whimsical and quirky. Archie and his extended family are loveable. A fun book to read with a child who has a new sibling.

WARM, FUNNY AND ENDEARING

Warm funny, endearing, smile-provoking all describe this delightful story for young readers by the husband and wife team of Romanova and Kulikov. This is their first collaboration, and we hope to see more. Based on events in their lives "The Perfect Friend" is a story of love, and the happy surprises life has in store. Archie is a lovable pooch who lives with a man and wife. The only problem is that Archie's lonely - he so very much wanted someone to play with, someone who would throw a ball that he could catch. When the man and wife left home this particular morning they promised they'd bring him a surprise. He wondered what it might be. Once they brought him a goldfish, which was nice but couldn't throw a ball. Another time they brought him a turtle - entirely too slow for Archie. When the man and wife came home, Archie ran to their car. He found it was full of surprises but had no idea which might be for him. Then, of all things, he saw "a wriggling, snuffling bundle in a cradle." The baby's name is Max, and from then on things go from bad to worse. Now that they are parents the couple spend all of their time taking care of Max and practically ignoring Archie who just keeps feeling smaller, smaller, so very insignificant. Grandma playing the piano for him doesn't cheer him up nor does Grandpa teaching him how to play chess. However, as time passes there is a wonderful, very amazing surprise - Archie does find the most perfect friend. Youngsters will be delighted with who it is. - Gail Cooke