Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!

April 8, 2019
Transitions can be tough, but Doerrfeld (The Rabbit Listened) counsels readers to remember that the end of one pleasant experience is often the doorway into another. The star of her story, a brown-skinned girl with black hair and rosy cheeks, says a tearful “Bye, Mom” before boarding the school bus: “Every goodbye,” Doerrfeld begins, “leads to a hello.” A page turn shows the girl meeting a new friend at school: “Hi, I’m Charlie,” a plaid-jacketed child with white skin and pink glasses announces. Bold, crayonlike outlines render homey details (animal name tags on school cubbies, whipped cream on hot chocolate, and an extravagant blanket fort) as the friends share experiences. The text develops the theme throughout, as when the seasons change and when the household goldfish dies (“Goodbye to an empty bowl... is hello to a full heart”). And when farewells are truly difficult—Charlie’s house is shown sold and belongings are packed up—“Goodbye to holding tight... is hello to letting go.” Doerrfeld’s compassionate take on loss makes a good case that farewells are the start of something even better. Ages 4–8.

Always upbeat, narrator Sisi Aisha Johnson blends the easy-to-take and the harder-to-take feelings that young listeners will know well. Yes, it can be hard to say goodbye to a friend, but who might be around the corner? There are hellos and goodbyes that enrich and excite. Doerrfeld"s pairs are many--from sitting alone to sitting together, from snowmen to puddles, from watching to joining in, and from superpowers to sweet dreams, for example. Johnson gently emphasizes the phrasing of each duo, and the repetition is catching. Her voice is warm. Somehow the goodbye that really is the end doesn't feel as final as it might, thanks to Johnson. Listeners young and old will have much to consider. A.R. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine