Molly and Ben are two kids who share a house, a yard, a stoop and a friendship. They live with their respective families in the same house just on different floors and they enjoy playing with each other, wearing the same shirts, and making plans together. The plan they're working on right now is to save up their money to buy a tent. Now they've worked things out together in the past but this time they disagree on what kind of tent to buy and the disagreement turns into a fight which finishes with both kids walking away mad and never wanting to see the other again. That mad feeling hangs with them and they go to school and ignore each other and wear different clothes and wish each other to the ends of the Earth. So far so good. Anyone could read this story aloud to kids and the kids would understand just how Molly and Ben feel. But magically, it seems, because the kids share a birthday party in June each year, Molly and Ben find their way back to friendship. There really isn't any explanation of what turned things around but you could certainly bring it up for discussion using the beginning of this story and ask children to talk about how they turn their own anger around.
Ages 4-9 32 pages
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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"Sometimes even best of can have their ups and downs Molly and Ben have always done everything together -- they even celebrate their birthdays with one big party But when they have a disagreement over how they should spend money they have saved together, it looks like "the party's over" Fortunately both come to see that whereas they are willing to give up on what they wanted to buy, they are not willing to give up on being best friends....
Charlotte Pomerantz's touching story paired with David Soman's expressive art is sure to offer comfort to all young readers who are learning about the ups and downs -- as well as the true meaning -- of friendship."--from the publisher
