Best Friend on Wheels

March 24, 2008
A worthy message does not redeem the forced storyline and flat illustrations in this book about two girls, one of whom is wheelchair-bound. On the first spreads, the narrator lists the ways she and her best friend, Sarah, are alike; both are seen only from the waist up until the narrator acknowledges, “We're different in one way—she uses a wheelchair./ She rolls and I walk when we want to go somewhere.” Rhymed couplets chronicle the story of their friendship, beginning with their first meeting: “I was so nervous, I stammered and stuttered./ I might say the wrong thing, I thought—so I muttered./ I wanted to get a good look at her chair,/ but I felt like a jerk, so I tried not to stare.” Then the narrator notices that Sarah is wearing a “Rock Hound” button and she “yelp with delight!” as she also collects rocks. This episode prefigures a similarly strained scene with an ice cream vendor who ignores Sarah until she notices Sarah's “I (heart) my finches” button, whereupon she announces that she owns 20 birds and is instantly at ease. This book protests too much to convince anyone. Ages 5-8.

May 1, 2008
K-Gr 3-A rhyming text looks at two friends who share good times. It begins with a list of interests they share, and the colorful cartoon illustrations delightfully capture them in their favorite activitiesreading, playing Frisbee, eating pizza (both pick off the peppers). It's not until several pages into the book that Sarah's wheelchair is revealed. Then the narrator flashes back to the day her second-grade teacher suggested that she show the new girl around. "When I saw she was using a wheelchair, I froze.]/I stammered and stuttered./I might say the wrong thing, I thought-so I muttered. I wanted to get a good look at her chair, /but I felt like a jerk, so I tried not to stare." Children will identify with these feelings. The girls find something in common to begin a conversationthey are both "rock hounds." The rhyme moves quickly yet touches on many aspects of life for people in wheelchairsthe rude reactions, getting into bed, and children's normal activities. The artwork conveys the same positive fun as the text. The book's lesson is evident without being didactic; the story focuses on real friendship, not the disability. The narrator sums it up: "It's odd that the moment I met her I'm sure/I saw only the wheelchair]./but now I see Sarah firstand she's cool!" This is an excellent addition that will work for groups as well as individual reading."Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH"

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