PreS-Gr 1 This stick and stone would never break a bone, as they're too busy caring about each other. Round stone labels himself a "zero" and tall, skinny Stick is only a "one," as they are solitary figures until they come together to form "a perfect 10." Stick sticks up for Stone when bully Pinecone makes fun of the rock, and the two become close companions. Told in rhyming couplets, this warm and tender story of two BFFs is made even more enjoyable by the charming, textured tan and blue illustrations, highlighted with touches of green and red. The pictures range in size from double spreads to small vignettes and deftly convey the two companions' harmonious relationship. Endpapers reveal Stick's and Stone's origins, and the text, suitable for beginning readers, sweetly expresses what it is to be and to have a good friend. Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI

Stick, a stick, is lonely. Stone, a stone, is too. They meet and become friends. The end! In the hands of debut author Ferry and unstoppable best-selling Lichtenheld, however, this nearly plotless affair becomes a thing of off-the-charts adorability. For starters, just look at them: Stone (described as "a zero" because of his shape) is a brown lump, while Stick (described as "a one") is a stubby-limbed fella with a tall twig head topped by a leaf. They both have dots for eyes and dashes for mouths, all of which go giddy after they meet. Ferry uses a minimalism that matches the art: "Stick, Stone. / No longer alone. / Stick, Stone. A friendship has grown." Then: a hurricane! Stick is missing! Then he is saved by Stone! Okay, it's true, even this dynamic author-illustrator duo run out of things to do, but these two characters are a delight to know (at the end, quite cleverly, they form "a perfect 10"), and the irresistible cadence of the text should make this a repeat favorite.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: After such hits as Steam Train, Dream Train (2013) and Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site (2011), anything Lichtenheld touches will be gobbled up.

Stick and Stone meet at the playground--Stone is teased by Pinecone, and Stick, well, sticks up for its new friend. A leisurely paced friendship unfolds until a hurricane blows Stick away, and it's Stone's turn to save the day. Humor, rather than obvious lesson-teaching, moves the story along. Warm pastel illustrations extend the uncomplicated rhyming text; facial expressions are cartoony but effective.