"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off!" I Love You Already by Jory John

"AH!" SAID BEAR. "I REALLY LOVE SPENDING LAZY WEEKEND MORNINGS AROUND THE HOUSE, SPENDING A PLEASANT DAY BY MYSELF."

And Bear is up for it. In his well-worn bathrobe, a cup of steaming tea beside him, he settles down in his easy chair with his newspaper and a stack of books he's been waiting to read. Perfect!

But his buddy Duck has other plans for the morning. His idea of a great morning is to take a stroll with his friend Bear, just like in his new book 101 Walks to Take with Bears, and he hustles over to Bear's house, his feathers all a-flutter, and bangs on the door, demanding Bear come along.

I CAN TELL YOU MY LIFE STORY! YOU CAN TELL ME YOURS!"

"NO. AND NO!" SAYS BEAR.

But Duck won't take no for an answer, so Bear reluctantly plods along beside him, disgruntled and silent, as Duck babbles on about the clouds. Duck renews his offer to tell his life story.

"YOU ALREADY SAID THAT!" BEAR POINTS OUT.

Duck insists that if they share their life stories, they will be better friends. Bear counters that they are already friends. Duck suggests that teaching him juggling or sharing a swim across the lake would make them closer.

Bear insists that he already likes Duck just fine, but Duck renews his efforts to please, showing off and finally falling out of a tree, only to get the response he's been trying for all along.

"YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND, DUCK!" CRIES BEAR.

It's the perennial story of a pair of unlikely friends who nonetheless really care for each other, in Jory John's newest, I Love You Already! (HarperCollins, 2015). Artist Benji Davis portrays the laconic introvert Bear and the frenetic extrovert Duck as the odd couple perfectly, with body language and facial expressions that practically tell the story. "The perfect way to say I love you all year round," says Children's Book Council.

Pair this not-exactly Valentine's Day friendship story with John's and Davis' first joint venture, Goodnight Already! (see review here).