The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Bailey, Jenn

A Friend for Henry

32 pp. | Chronicle | February, 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-4521-6791-6 $16.99

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. "Henry was looking for a friend." Unfortunately, everyone is just too much: some kids are messy; others don't follow class rules. The story turns hopeful when Henry meets Katie, a quiet girl who enjoys reading. Song's pastel-hued ink and watercolor illustrations depict realistic social situations in a supportive and diverse classroom. The story never uses an autism-spectrum label for Henry, leaving readers to follow him without preconceptions.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019