Yo! Yes?

Raschka's innovative picture book aims to explore the nature of friendship in only 34 words. It's a risk, but as a writer and artist Raschka is no stranger to risk-taking--his debut ( Charlie Parker Played Be Bop ) was a sly, joyous exercise in avant-garde that stretched the definition of picture book. And here, he does the same. After the briefest of exchanges, two boys--one black, one white, one shy, one outgoing, one nerdy, one street-smart--decide to take a chance on friendship. Like a two-character play with no scenery and minimal dialogue, the story relies on the expressiveness of the "actors" and the raw energy of the artwork to hook the reader. Raschka's watercolor and charcoal pencil illustrations certainly do the trick--they're brash, witty and offbeat, and easily portray a vigorous range of emotion. At least in the small realm of this cheeky picture book, less is definitely more. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)

PreS-Gr 2-- An effective, unusual 34-word story of the beginnings of a friendship, accompanied by wild and wonderful illustrations. Against pastel backgrounds, in vibrant, colorful images, an African-American boy and a white boy meet on the street. "What's up?" "Not much." "Why?" "No fun." "Oh?" "No friends." These one- and two-word exchanges on each spread lead to a tentative offer of friendship, sealed as both boys jump high in the air and yell "Yow!" The succinct, rhythmic text and the strong cartoonlike watercolor-and-charcoal illustrations are perfect complements. The feelings of each child run the gamut from loneliness, curiosity, fear of rejection, and hopefulness to, finally, joy; the illustrations do a particularly fine job of limning each boy's emotions in very simple images on the oversized pages. With a beautifully balanced, economical style, the book illumines the peaks and pitfalls of getting acquainted, and puts in a good word for brotherhood as well. Amusing for story times, or for use in discussions of feelings, it is fun to read and look at, and appealing to the eye, ear, and heart. "Yow!"-- Judy Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA