Two unlikely friends crash into each other's orbit.Haylee makes wishes at every opportunity. Her favorite method is wishing on falling stars-if she is quick enough to see them. When Haylee has a "very special wish" one day, she looks for a star and wishes "as hard as she could" to find a friend. An anthropomorphic comet (aptly named Comet) plummets down and reveals having made the very same wish. They become fast friends in the two short stories that follow. In "The Friend Ship" the pair finds a "build-your-own Friend Ship kit" and gets to work, each building half of the vehicle. In "The Surprise," Haylee gifts Comet with a flower to celebrate their "three-day friend-iversary," and they build a garden of comets. Marcero's intricate linework and lush yellows and blues effectively translate her skills as a picture-book illustrator into the graphic early reader format. But the night scenes are where her use of colors and shadows flies off the charts. Playful dialogue and sweet truisms about friendship mimic many of the odd-couple narratives out there, but the comet-human pairing is mighty distinctive. Using a mix of captions and speech bubbles, the comics format never exceeds 10 panels per double-page spread. Haylee's skin and straight hair are tinted blue while Comet is bright yellow with a bulbous, orange nose. A sequel will release in October 2021. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A clever premise made (nearly) stellar by its art. (Graphic early reader. 6-9)

A girl and a comet develop an affectionate friendship in Marcero-s (In a Jar) gentle emerging reader, a graphic novel series starter. From the moment the child makes a wish, landing the comet on Earth, it-s clear that pale-skinned Haylee and ghost-shaped, bright yellow Comet are kindred spirits: -Are you... a friend?- each asks the other, setting the scene for the earnest lessons about companionship that continue throughout. In the second of three chapters, the two collaborate on a kit to build a -Friend Ship,- a task whose construction reveals backgrounds and similarities, and offers opportunity for clear communication. And in a third vignette, after a -three-day friend-iversary- surprise goes awry, the mix-up is transformed into a metaphorical affirmation of the pair-s relationship and mutual wish for future adventures. Innocent humor driven by Comet-s unfamiliarity with Earth abounds: -You have spots. Are you a cheetah? A chocolate chip cookie?- asks Comet upon observing Haylee-s polka-dot garb. Working with a limited palette of blues and yellows, Marcero-s delicate illustrations play with perspective and frequently feature the beauty and bigness of the world. Anything seems possible for these caring and curious best buds, with their empathic way of relating to each other and the universe. Ages 6-9. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. (June)

K-Gr 3 Haylee, a white girl with wide-set eyes and a star barrette in her short hair, makes wishes on everything, especially falling stars. She is overjoyed when a lively comet falls into her arms, each of them having wished for a friend, and together, they build a Friend Ship (the back half is a rocket; the front half is a boat). Despite their different origins, Haylee and Comet share a similar sensibility, as well matched as the pals in Dan Santat's The Adventures of Beekle . Kind and open-minded, both look at the world with wonder ("Maybe Earth is magic") and forgive each other for mistakes. Marcero's ( In a Jar ) blue and sunshine-yellow palette is similar to the color scheme of Ben Clanton's "Narwhal and Jelly" series. Most pages contain three to five comic panels, though some pages feature a single full-bleed illustration; the overall impression is spacious and inviting for emerging readers. An "Extra!" section at the end relates information about comets in general and Halley's comet in particular. In the book's final pages, the phrase "The End" is crossed out and replaced with "The Beginning." Readers are likely to wish on a falling star for more installments about the duo. VERDICT This amusing, wish-come-true tale has plenty of heart; recommended for all children's collections. Jenny Arch, formerly at Winchester P.L., MA