Henry and Bea are inseparable, but one day Henry suddenly stops talking to his best friend. Bea knows there's something Henry's not telling her, but what could it be?
Henry and Bea have always been inseparable...until one day Henry suddenly stops talking to Bea. He won't chat with her in class, and he won't sit with her at lunch. Bea can tell something's going on, and she's determined to find out what it is. When their teacher announces that the class is taking a field trip to a farm, Bea hopes that this might be her chance to reconnect with Henry. When Henry finds an old cat collar at the farm and starts to cry, he finally reveals his secret to Bea: his cat Buddy died last week. And even though it's hard for them both, Bea knows that she'll be there for Henry, as his best friend, no matter what.
A Junior Library Guild Selection
★ "Bagley once again conveys her deep understanding of the ways children process loss and her deep respect for their capacity to regain resilience. . . . Bagley’s direct slice-of-life watercolors and text anchor her characters in the world, offering reassurance and affirmation to the story and to readers."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A gentle story with a lesson about what true friends are made of." —School Library Journal
"Bagley's artwork creates an emotionally resonant experience, with the use of white space, perspective, and the expanse of the double-page spread to communicate emotional closeness, distance, and isolation. Readers will be invested in this simple, elegantly told tale and will not be disappointed at its conclusion. . . . An excellent choice for themes of friendship and trust."—Kirkus Reviews
"A welcome addition to the shelf of books about grief; believable and affirming in its acknowledgment that even the closest friendships go through ups and downs—and of how to 'be a' a good friend."—The Horn Book
"Bagley sensitively demonstrates to her child audience concrete ways of being a good friend."—Booklist