¿Quieres ser mi amigo?

by Amy Hest, Jenni Desmond (Illustrator)

rare book

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Animals, Dogs, Fiction, Rabbits

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2017

About the author

Amy Hest is a three-time winner of the Christopher Medal and winner of the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Reviewed by Xander on www.whisperingstories.com

On the Night of the Shooting Star is a book that emphasises that no matter how different you are, you can still be friends.

When Rabbit and Dog see a shooting star at the same time they soon become friends, even though they have lived near each other for a long time and never spoken before. Also, the book points out that if you don’t know someone it doesn’t mean they aren’t a good person, you just don’t know them, so don’t know what they are like.

I thought this story would be nice for a younger child, or for those just learning to read as the font was large and the full page, bright pictures helped to understand what is happening.

This is a great book and I think that kids would definitely enjoy it. It’s not a humorous book, but it was entertaining.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shooting stars, hot chocolate, and the magic of friendship!

Amy Hest excels at capturing the wonder and warmth of life and all its little miracles. This book is such a warmhearted joy to read and share.

Bunny and Dog live next door to each. Both are looking for a friend, but don’t know how to get the friendship ball rolling. Until one night…when a shooting star lends them a hand.

Every picture holds a beautiful balance of peace and playfulness. From the bunny ear lamp shades to the small delicate flowers. Every page gives off a warm glow! Plus look at Bunny’s face! Haha….So cute and happy. You can’t help but smile. Be on the lookout for nightlights and salt & pepper shakers. Be sure to look at the shakers on the last page. So perfect! :)

Pick this one up. You might just find a new friend.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Night of the Shooting Star


Is a toddlers book about friendship. The illustrations are so pretty! Cute to read with a young child.




* I think the Dutch illustration on the cover is even cuter than this one. (the dog and rabbit are holding hands and dancing)

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dog and a bunny each have a house that faces a lake, and have lived next door to each other for a while. Separated by a fence, they have never become friends. And while they never speak, they do keep a surreptitious eye on each other. Then, one sleepless night, Bunny is outside his house looking at the moon and stars, and Dog is outside his house doing the same thing. Suddenly, a shooting star streaks through the sky and Dog and Bunny turn to look at each other in amazement and at the same time. Going home, both think about what happened, and decide its time to be friends. And how their lives change when that happens. This is a gentle tale about loneliness and the happiness a friendship can bring to someone, something that many kids may very well relate to. The simple but touching text and the illustrations result in endearing tale that will be read again and again.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although they were next-door neighbors, Bunny and Dog never spoke to one another, pursuing their separate interests and activities in a close proximity that never seemed to lead to any sort of exchange or friendship. They noticed one another, of course, and even thought from time to time that the other needed a friend, but it wasn't until the night of the shooting star that they felt impelled to actually reach out...

On the Night of the Shooting Star is a lovely picture-book, one which pairs a gentle, contemplative story about social isolation, and how two lonely souls eventually found one another, with sweet illustrations that capture the mystery of night-time vistas and the joy of daytime ones. I appreciated author Amy Hest's delicate storytelling touch here, as she depicts her two characters as solitary individuals, rather than unfriendly ones, and demonstrates how sometimes it takes something extraordinary - like a shooting star - to bring such people (or animals) together. I also appreciated illustrator Jenni Desmond's artwork, with its beautifully varied palette, and charming animal figures. Recommended to anyone looking for engaging new children's stories about finding friendship.

[Maggi Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story of how two beings became friends.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two neighbors look around and think about how the other one must need a friend. End of story ... for a long time. They aren't unfriendly, and they aren't rude. They just don't realize that they could be each other's friends; not until the night of the shooting star.

One thing that might throw off American children: a dog sharing its biscuits with a bunny. Biscuits aren't cookies for an American audience, and idea of sharing dog biscuits (Definitely Not Cookies) may be enough to make kids turn up their noses. Goodness knows I had a hard time getting over that tiny insignificant story crumb.

[Shauna Yusko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute friendship story.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book about beginning a friendship, colorful and expressive.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes all it takes to make a friend is a simple step.

[dafne ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Cada mañana, lo primero que hace Lola es mirar desde su jardín a Simón.
Y lo primero que hace Simón es mirar desde su jardín a Lola.
No se saludan. No dicen hola ni buenos días.»

que nunca se pierda la tierna costumbre de entrar en una librería y leer libros infantiles con mis amigas. On the night of the shooting star es un libro dulcesísimo sobre dos animalitos que son vecinos pero que nunca se han permitido cruzar la valla que divide sus casas para conversar y entablar una relación más cercana. eso hasta que, una noche, cae una estrella fugaz y ambos la ven cruzar el cielo. <3 me hizo pensar en cómo en la adultez a una a veces le da muchísimo miedo e inseguridad hacer amigxs. de chiquitas podíamos acercarnos a alguien en cualquier momento e inocentemente preguntar "¿quieres ser mi amigx?", y eso era suficiente para asegurar horas de juego, pero conforme pasa el tiempo parece que dar el primer paso para formar una conexión con alguien es "demasiada molestia", algo demasiado difícil de llevar a cabo. es curioso pensar en cómo puede no serlo, en cómo podemos salir de nuestra zona de confort y atravesar nuestra soledad para, con un acto de cuidado y atención, tejer nuevos encuentros, nuevas relaciones, y crear una comunidad más grande y afectiva.

[Arminzerella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunny and Dog live in two different houses separated by a fence. They each have their favorite things and go about their days without ever talking to one another, but each one wonders about the other and looks over the fence into their neigbor’s yard (or gazes across the distance into their neighbor’s lighted window). One night they are both sleepless and find themselves outside, watching the sky. A shooting star brings them together and they realize they can be friends. They quickly dig a hole under the fence and share cocoa and biscuits and for “the rest of their days and nights, Bunny and Dog are exceptional friends.” This delightful story of friendship is cleverly illustrated. If you’re reading with a buddy, look for some of the fun things Jenni Desmond has hidden in her pictures – a fluffy rabbit tail on Bunny’s armchair, perhaps? Or Dog’s ball-decorated bedspread. Truly joyful.

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not fond of the art here--it has a flat awkwardness. The story edges ever so gently towards activating my saccharine meter, but Amy Hest is a skilled author, and manages to evade it. A nice addition to the "friendship/making friends," category.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. How sweet!

Hopefully this book will encourage kids to be the person who DOES say Hello or Nice to see you today. :)

[Cat Strawberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute and brilliant story that it’s become one of my favourites! Bunny and Dog see each other every day, but nobody ever says Hello. That is, until one night, a very special night, both Bunny and Dog go outside to watch the stars, and when they see a shooting star, they smile at each other, could they start talking too? The book is a paperback with thick glossy pages filled with lovely colourful illustrations and text.

This is such a cute and special tale of Bunny and Dog, two neighbours who know each other, see each other, but never talk or meet. Everyday Bunny has fun, and looks over the fence at Dog. Every day Dog has fun, and looks over the fence at Bunny. But they never talk or interact. They both think the other is lonely, but it’s not until they see a shooting star together, at the same time, that they finally smile at each other, and eventually begin to talk. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the story but it’s pretty obvious what happens. Bunny and Dog are like so many people and children, they both make good friends but they never try speaking to each other. The book is a brilliant way of showing kids how easy it can be to make friends.

The illustrations are just so cute! They look like images painted in watercolours by a child. They are so fun and I love how happy and cute both Bunny and Dog look, I especially love Dog’s outfit and the cute way he sits in the chair. The illustrations have a lot of lovely details too. When we see into Bunny and Dog’s houses, there are lots of lovely extra things in the pictures, it just makes the whole story so much more vibrant and cute.

Overall I’d really recommend this book, just for how lovely the images are, but the story of friendship is a very good one too and perfect for children who might feel nervous about speaking to others. It could show some shy kids how making friends can be easy, and how they could have a lot in common with other children. And of course it’s just a lovely story to read alone too.
-Thanks to Walker books for a free copy for review.

[Balambika Hariharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your child likes sweet, lovely stories that fill up your heart with joy then this is the book for you. This cute story of the bunny and the dog will leave you feeling warm, fuzzy and so positive about the world around you. You will reminisce about all the tiny sparks of joy and warmth that we come across in our everyday life, be it that hesitant friendly smile in the elevator or the eager waving hand at the park or the animated greeting at a grocery store. This is the kind of story that will make you look forward to all those little moments in life. the story will surely sow those tiny seeds of friendliness and amiability in your child’s little heart.

Bunny and dog live next to each other but are still not friends. Not that they don’t want to but they are both hesitant and unsure if the other one wants a friend. They keep peeking and looking at the other’s house expectantly and eagerly. But neither of them takes the first step until one sleepless night when the both see a shooting star. Now, shooting stars are supposed to be magical and so yes, the magic happens. Finally Bunny and dog, both separately decide to take the initiative and extend a hand of friendship to the other and are both pleasantly surprised and happy to see it eagerly reciprocated. And now? What else, they are now best friends forever and ever.

The language is simple and illustrations are brilliant. The illustrations are full of such cute small details that the kids will love going through them. Everything in the picture has a warm and joyful gleam that will leave you smiling.

A perfect bedtime read.

[CHARISSA MITCHELL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Bunny and Dog are neighbors and are separated by a fence. They both go out of their house every day and look at one another, but they do not speak to one another. One night, they both go out and look at the beautiful night sky, each thinks that the other needs a friend and wonders who that friend could be, and they both see a shooting star. Then, they both go to their homes and think about the other and "their shooting star." Next, each comes out of their house, Bunny carrying two cups of hot chocolate and Dog carrying some biscuits, and they decide to be friends. They dig a hole under the fence so that they can cross into one another's backyards, they share the food they brought, they share their shared experience of the shooting star, and they live the rest of their lives as friends.

My Thoughts: This is a very sweet story about friendship, and it has a very important message about the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone and making friends. It also includes some practical components of a friendship, such as a shared experience (the shooting star), thinking about the other, the willingness to share what you have with the other (sharing the hot chocolate and biscuits), and making a path so that the relationship is possible (digging a hole under the fence).

Connection to Teaching: I would use this book to teach children the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and how it takes things like (as mentioned above) a shared experience, thinking about another, being willing to share with them, and making a path to reach them.

[Becs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dog and Bunny are neighbours. Both shy, introverted and quiet personalities who never speak across the fence separating their gardens. But one day they decide to - they dig a hole between their gardens and now they spend time together all the time. It's a story of friendship, but I really felt like it captured the shy reluctance many young children (and adults I suppose!) might feel towards potential friends (who often get lost behind the more extroverted and forth coming children).

The story is so sweet, with really lovely illustrations of the two creatures, their houses and gardens. They are ostensibly quite simple illustrations in reality, but they do a great job of conveying the meaning of the story without being too elaborate. I really loved how they showed Bunny and Dog both trying to see what the other was up to, and feeling sad they weren't friends - that section was really great. In terms of text, there isn't a lot. So it's wonderful that the illustrations do such a good job. The story is therefore intended for a much younger child to enjoy being read to.

ARC provided free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

[Jaycie Birdwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunny and Dog are next-door neighbors but are separated by a fence. They go about their lives separately, not speaking, not sharing their cocoa nor biscuits. They wonder about each other, and they know the other needs a friend. One night, they come out of their houses to watch the night sky, and a shooting star passes by. They see it, together, but they return to their houses without saying a word. That night, they think about each other and their shooting star. Eventually, both Bunny and Dog approach the fence, one carrying cocoa, the other carrying biscuits, and they say to each other, "I could be your friend." For the rest of the days and nights, Bunny and Dog are best friends, finally.
I thought this book was precious. I would love to use this in my classroom as an example of friendship. I could use it at the beginning of the year to show how two very different people can be good friends, and then pair them up with each other. I'll have them interview each other and present what they learned about their new friend to the rest of the class.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about as perfect a picture book as you can get. Here you are confronted by the difficulty there is sometimes in making friends. This cautious living side by side, aware of each other and too frightened to speak up, was so spot on. Anyone who has any kind of social anxiety will GET this book in an instant.

The ending is perfect, and beautiful. Cautious and optimistic, and always gentle. The artwork complemented the story perfectly.

This is one of those books that I want to own. I'm gaining quite a picture book collection of the best of the best picture books out there. This one deserves to be on that shelf.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dog and a rabbit live next door to each other. They are curious about one another, but too shy to speak. Then they both see a shooting star. Now there is something to talk about! And thus a friendship begins.
The detailed illustrations in this sweet story are especially enjoyable--notice the salt and pepper shakers in each home!
Recommended for preschool through lower elementary grades. Tie-in with talking about friendships, same/different interests, and how to meet and speak to new people.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a number of books by Amy Hest - they are each quite different and represent a wide variety of writing styles and topics. This simple friendship book says 'friendship' all over it - especially right from the cover illustration.
It is a bit confusing to me why the friendship suddenly blossomed just because of the shooting star after what seemed like years of silence.

[Maggie Ignasiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a great book about friendship. It shows a dimensional idea of sharing, not just of physical things, like the cocoa and biscuits, but the moment they shared with their shooting star. It also shows that despite differences and time, people can become friends. I will totally use this in a friendship themed storytime.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kerrassaan suloinen kuvakirja yksinäisyydestä ja ystävyyden muodostumisesta. Kuvitus oli kerrassaan upeaa, yksityiskohtaista ja kuitenkin niin lapsenomaista.

Meillä molemmat lapset nauttivat todella paljon kirjan lukemisesta ja erityisesti juuri kuvituksesta. Kirjan aukeamilla oli paljon kaikenlaista tutkittavaa.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dog and Bunny are neighbors, though they've never said hi to each other. Unbeknownst to them both, each thinks the other needs a friend. On the night of the shooting star, maybe they'll find the courage to start something new.
A very cute story. Used it for a star-themed storytime during SRP 2019. Went over very well with kids of all ages and even the adults.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this!

Two different animals with similar hobbies are separated by a fence. Until one day their loneliness brings them both outside on a clear starry night. They both see a beautiful shooting star at the same time and realize that the other needs a friend. The next day they both meet at the fence with their favorite treats to share and becomes inseparable friends.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding the courage to say, "I could be your friend."

Yes, that's a story worth reading.

The simplicity to Amy Hest's narrative is perfect for young children.
While the simplicity and sweetness of the drawings, by Jenni Desmond, can help to open up the reader's heart.

Such a happy ending for the main characters!
Such a happy feeling for the fortunate readers.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable book on what friendship can add to your life. Someone has to make the first move in this book of two neighbors who live side by side but don't interact.

A little less realistic was how they go from that to dancing at a picnic together. But the point is conveyed, if not exactly how they got there...friendship can add joy and liveliness to an otherwise just fine life.

[A Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The details in this book are superb. Bunny and Dog have homes that look so welcoming and cozy; I want to visit (if either would have me). A beautiful book about friendship that I would love to read again and again.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bunny and Dog both live alone on two sides of the fence. They watch each other but don't speak. One night they see a shooting star and realize they could be friends. The world changes when they reach out to each other.
Use to talk about taking risks and making new friends.