Henry and Bea

PreS-Gr 2–Henry and Bea are the kind of best friends who do everything together and even seem to know what the other is thinking. One day, Henry is sad and withdrawn and ignores Bea completely. Bea misses her friend and while she gives him his space, she doesn’t give up on him. She keeps reaching out until one day, on a class field trip, Henry is ready to talk. His pet has died and he has been keeping the sadness inside. Bea offers Henry comfort, companionship, and understanding and their friendship is reaffirmed. The watercolor and pencil illustrations depict a pale boy with carrot-colored hair and a dark-haired, darker skinned girl engaged in multiple best friend activities. They draw together, camp out, play at the park, share snacks, or simply cloud-watch while enjoying each other’s company. The pictures also capture Bea’s confusion and sadness when Henry closes himself off and the happiness they feel when they are together.