Armadillo and Hare are great friends that share a cute home in the forest. They live together, play together, and go on adventures together, and in this chapter book of vignettes, Strong tells stories about the everyday matters of their daily lives, such as running out of cheese for their sandwiches, going to a friend's party, and replacing a burned-out lightbulb in their refrigerator. Occasionally, something more unusual happens; for instance, they need to support each other during a thunderstorm and must also figure out how to endure a flood. Sometimes, they annoy each other (as all friends will do), but that quickly passes, and through it all, they remain the best of friends. This slow-paced, thoughtful book about friendship is perfect for newly independent readers, and Bagley's winsome spot illustrations, depicting the characters with sketchy lines and fabric-like textures, only add to the overall charm. Occasional Briticisms might require extra explanation for some readers, but this easygoing, gentle book's episodic structure is sure to make it go down easy with the elementary-school set.

Indisputably, and hilariously, the title characters of these 10 loopy tales are a classic odd couple. Cranky and a tad slothful, Armadillo can-t quite master buttoning his cardigan correctly and is unabashedly obsessed with eating-and painting-cheese sandwiches. Chirpy housemate Hare favors reading, exercising, and playing his tuba, which, in one of the stories- wry quirks, emits not only sound but such capricious items as a roll of toilet paper, candlelit balloons, and a chorus of frogs (all objects gradually vanish, much to Armadillo-s relief). Whimsically echoing the tenor of the goings-on, Bagley-s cheerful illustrations capture the expressive protagonists- mutual exasperation and affection, as well as their interactions with a menagerie of pals, including a lonely jaguar, a nosy elephant, and a loquacious insect whose camouflage skills render her invisible. Strong adds a wry existential note to this breezy contemplation on friendship, compromise, and acceptance, as Armadillo and Hare extemporaneously ask the other, -What do you do?- to which each replies, -I just am.- And for peckish readers who share Armadillo-s cravings, the author provides amusingly simple instructions for making the character-s -best- cheese sandwich. Ages 7-10. (Feb.)

Gr 1-3 Armadillo and Hare are friends sharing a cabin in the woods, but they couldn't be more different. Armadillo only likes to eat cheese sandwiches and grumble; Hare tries new things and is full of energy. The two experience all kinds of adventures together, from solving the problem of a burnt-out refrigerator light to their cabin floating away in a storm. They meet several new animals along the way and learn that sometimes, creatures are more complex than they seem. The book, reminiscent in the style of Arnold Lobel's "Frog and Toad," is told through a series of vignettes that shape a cohesive story of friendship. There are many commendable messages and fun plot points, but readers may wish Strong had gone deeper with themes or played more with quirky elements (one delightful element that isn't explored enough: Hare's tuba, which spits out objects when he plays). There are also moments that feel problematic: Hare tells Armadillo that Armadillo should stop eating his beloved cheese and lose weight. Later on, Hare stops Armadillo from dancing at a forest party, simply because Armadillo is a poor dancer. Bagley's black-and-white illustrations employ a variety of textures and contribute to the whimsy in the book. VERDICT In spite of some problematic moments, this is a fun story that focuses on friendship and unlikely adventures. Kristin Brynsvold, Tuckahoe Elementary School, Arlington, VA