A Wider World: Will You Be My Friend? by Sam McBratney

LITTLE NUTBROWN HARE WANTED TO PLAY, BUT... BIG NUTBROWN HARE WAS VERY BUSY.

"CAN I GO AND PLAY BY MYSELF?" ASKED LITTLE NUTBROWN HARE."

"WELL, YES," SAID BIG NUTBROWN HARE," BUT DON'T GO TOO FAR."

Little Nutbrown Hare happily hops off up the stony path to explore the path up Cloudy Mountain. He stops at a puddle to study his own reflection staring back at him.

"YOU'RE ONLY ANOTHER ME!" HE SAYS.

He runs on up the path, racing his shadow keeping pace with him and only stopping when he stops.

"YOU'RE ONLY ANOTHER ME!" HE THINKS.

But up the heathery hill he sees a a more surprising sight, staring back at him!

"SOMEONE REAL!"

It's another little hare, just his size, but one with white fur, and she wants to play!"

And play they do, chasing each other, digging a hole big deep enough to hide both of them, and having a game of hide-and-seek in the heather. But when it is Little Nutbrown Hare's turn to hide, Tipps doesn't come to find him.

Sadly, he heads down the path to find Big Nutbrown Hare, who asks if he has enjoyed his explorations. But before Little Nut Brown Hare can answer, they hear the sound of someone else on the path. It's Tipps, smiling! Surprised, Big Nutbrown Hare wonders aloud where this little snow hare came from.

"HER NAME IS TIPPS--" ANSWERED LITTLE NUTBROWN HARE. "SHE'S MY FRIEND."

Little Nutbrown Hare discovers a wider world in Sam McBratney's latest in his best-selling series, Will You Be My Friend? (Guess How Much I Love You) in which Little Brown Hare finds his first friend, very lucky to have a father who loves him well and wisely enough to let him venture out to find that friend.

Sweet and subtle, author Sam McBratney's newest tale portrays the moment in which a youngster begins to move outside the parental circle toward independence in the wider world. Skillfully crafted, the author's carefully-shaped storytelling lets the lovely pen and watercolor artwork of Anita Jeram, reminiscent of Beatrice Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit books, visually tell the story of a first friendship found. In a long series such as this one, it's a pleasure to see the depth of meaning that this author continues to bring to his wise father and son tales. Says Kirkus Reviews, "Readers are likely to love it to the moon and back."