The New Friend: A Picture Book - Hardcover

by Charlotte Zolotow (Author), Benjamin Chaud (Illustrator)

A Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year, author Charlotte Zolotow and award-winning illustrator Benjamin Chaud's The New Friend is a poignant evocation of childhood pain and jealousy at the desertion of a best friend, with a message of optimism and empowerment.

A child reminisces about the many moments of joy and playfulness he used to share with his dear old companion, who has, sadly, made a new friend. Although he is sad, he finds the strength to keep his head high and sets out to find a new playmate.

"The devoted friendship of two children ends without warning . . . This all-too-common childhood experience is dramatized with an emotional honesty that, refreshingly, skirts sentimentality." --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"Zolotow's gentle, introspective text, honest about the narrator's anger and sadness, is now accompanied by new but vintage-feeling illustrations from Chaud . . . A hopeful but not too neat story of a situation likely to be relatable to many." --Horn Book

Author Biography

Iconic American author Charlotte Zolotow (1915-2013) was also a poet, editor, and publisher of over 70 picture books for children. Her work was published by more than 20 different houses (many of which she has outlived!). In 1998, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, which recognizes outstanding writing in a published picture book, was created. Benjamin Chaud was born in the Hautes-Alpes and studied drawing and applied arts at both the Arts Appliqués in Paris and the Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg. His work has received multiple awards and his books have been recommended by the New York Times. He is also a three-time nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (2017, 2018, and 2020). Chaud has worked with numerous publishers, including Albin Michel and Actes Sud, and his award-winning books have been translated into over 20 languages.