Most of us have had the sad experience of a close friend moving away. As adults it is hard, even when we make plans to get together for a vacation or some Facetime to stay in touch. It is even worse for children, since they have no control over the move or the ability to get together later on. This story captures all the nostalgia and bittersweet feeling conjured up by seeing places where memories were made before the separation. A small koala gazes out the car window at the ice cream parlor where they had the giggles over their favorite flavors, the library where they read their favorite book together, and the park where they rode bikes. The text reads as if she were speaking to her cheetah friend or writing her a letter. Each illustration shows the car passing the spot being described and then the scene within the memory. The koala explains that she still borrows that book "with the green cover" and that she "will never get tired of it." She "can still smell the coconut sunblock" they wore when they spent the day at the beach. As she and her mother finally reach their home, her final thought is "I wonder if you are thinking of me." The final page shows the little cheetah at her desk writing a letter which begins, "Dear Best Friend." End papers show cards and letters the friends have sent each other and snapshots of them together, reassuring us that they have not forgotten their bond.
If you know a child who is feeling sad and lonely after a friend has moved away (or is the one who had to move), you might try sharing this book and helping to write a letter to stay in touch with that special pal.
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