A Beautiful Story of Friendship

I recently had the pleasure of reading one of the newest children's books that we have added to our inventory here at the bookstore. Celeste Shally's, Since We're Friends, is one of those books that you come away from feeling good about the message that it contains.

The premise is simple; a young boy, Matt, has autism. Despite their differences, Matt has become good friends with a typically functioning child who lives across the street. Matt's friend (his name is never mentioned) looks out for him, and has even devised several strategies for making sure they both get the most out of their relationship. For example, if Matt has a hard time accepting when it is time to say goodbye for the evening, his friend will invite him over for breakfast the following morning to give him something to look forward to.

Although essentially this is just a children's story, the acceptance and love shared between these two boys really is heartwarming. This is a story that every child could benefit from hearing. Compassionate children grow into compassionate adults, and this world could certainly use more compassion.

I should also mention that the artwork in this book is really incredible. The brightly colored, glossy illustrations are sure to evoke a smile from all but the toughest critics.