The Blessings of Friendship Treasury

K-Gr 2—This treasury includes poems, famous quotes, and proverbs about friendship. Engelbreit's vintage, sewing-sampler illustration style lends itself well to this collection's theme, but not its intended audience. While each page could stand alone as framed artwork for fans of saccharine, flower-filled fodder, the work lacks appeal for picture book readers. Children will lose interest without anything more than the friendship theme tying the pages together. The quotes are from famous literary figures or the Bible or are listed as anonymous and likely will not resonate with young readers. For instance, a quote attributed to George Eliot reads, "Animals are such agreeable friends—they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." School and public library collections will want to use their limited resources on more enticing collections.—Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH