Best friends Billy and Rose, an industrious sheep and a laid-back pig, sometimes see things differently. When they play catch, Rose insists that Billy throws too high, and he counters that she throws too low. While Rose thinks washing clothes is the world's biggest chore, Billy contends that playing the cello holds that distinction. Still, these endearing friends always find a way to work things out: What if Billy plays a cello serenade for Rose while she does her laundry? After all, what they really want is to be together. These four sweet stories by beloved children's author Amy Hest are filled with gentle wit and enhanced by Kady MacDonald Denton's delightfully expressive illustrations.
Kady MacDonald Denton is the illustrator of many books for children, including the Bear and Mouse books by Bonny Becker and Two Homes by Claire Masurel. Kady MacDonald Denton lives in Ontario.
Across four likable Frog and Toad-style stories, Hest celebrates the camaraderie of barnyard pals Billy and Rose. . . Genuine-sounding rapport articulates the kindness at the heart of any partnership, while MacDonald Denton's pale watercolor and ink illustrations add a layer of liveliness via expressively wrought figures; together, the duo embodies the way a best bud can both challenge and inspire.
--Publishers Weekly
Billy, a goat, and Rose, a pig, are friends who live on neighboring farms. In four short stories, the two work their way through small conflicts in satisfying ways. . . . The cozy words and pictures have an old-fashioned sensibility. . . Denton's lively watercolor and ink illustrations are filled with movement, and the characters' exuberance bursts off the page. . . this short chapter book has a friendly, approachable design for new readers.
--The Horn Book