Lawrence & Sophia

by Doreen Cronin, Brian Cronin (Illustrator)

Overview

By the author of Click, Clack, Moo and the illustrator of The Lost House, here is an utterly endearing story about venturing out of your comfort zone and overcoming anxiety to help a friend.

Lawrence stays close to home because “out there” is too big and loud. Sophia stays high up in the tree branches because “down there” is too dark and dangerous. When they meet and become friends, they find ways to enjoy each other’s company without leaving their own safe spots . . . until a storm comes, and both are so worried about the other that they are finally able to take a huge, scary leap into the unknown. Together they feel brave, and the future is suddenly a lot more interesting.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593618301
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/17/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.38(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.43(d)
Lexile:	AD400L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Doreen Cronin is the author of many New York Times bestselling books, including Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo and its sequels (with 8.5 million copies sold and over 20 years in print); and Diary of a Worm and its sequels (7 million copies sold worldwide); as well as a host of other beloved picture books.


Brian Cronin is an internationally known illustrator whose work has appeared in the New York Times, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, and many other publications throughout the world. He won the Society of Illustrators' Founders Award for his first book, The Lost House, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Award for The Lost Picnic.

Editorial Reviews

"A friendship slowly develops, with the duo finding clever ways of sharing activities without either of them moving beyond their respective comfort zone—complemented by very funny art . . . a tale that quietly applauds both the efforts and the rewards of friendship building and risk-takin. Read it and smile." —Kirkus

"In a lightly rib-tickling examination of fright and friendship, Doreen Cronin suggests that shared perspectives and accountable friends represent a promising path to wider vistas." —Publisher's Weekly

"Young readers will find this book highly approachable, and they will likewise enjoy examining the detailed illustrations. The images frequentlysay more than the words do, with subtle humor and occasionally interwoven between the words and the pictures, enhancing the appeal of the book.This enjoyable story of two unlikely friends whomake each other brave is a good addition to library collections." —School Library Journal

"Doreen Cronin offers a charming story that will resonate with children who are shy or anxious around unfamiliar people and places. Written with simplicity and sensitivity, the well-structured story reads aloud well. The delicate illustrations, created with poster paint, suit the quiet tone of this satisfying picture book."—Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-05-24
What happens when a shy, stay-at-home boy meets a timid, tree-bound bird?

Large, googly eyeballs are the common physical trait of Lawrence—a light-skinned child who apparently lives alone in a pale green house surrounded by a stockade fence—and Sophia, a blue owlish bird whose nesting tree is just outside that fence. Shadowy figures of other people and animals are sometimes observable beyond the fence, but the two protagonists have the entire story and the quirky, watercolor artwork to themselves. And no more is needed for heartwarming entertainment! Simple text makes it clear that Lawrence does not go beyond his yard because “out there” is “very big,” “very loud,” and “very crowded.” Sophia stays up in the treetops because “down there” is “dark,” “bumpy,” and “dangerous.” A friendship slowly develops, with the duo finding clever ways of sharing activities without either of them moving beyond their respective comfort zone—complemented by very funny art. Soon after Sophia builds her nest closer to Lawrence’s house and Lawrence erects a tent near Sophia’s tree, a storm breaks out. Each character is so worried about the other’s welfare that they both undergo great transformations, conveyed in a way that will be easily understood by the youngest of readers. The final page adds the finishing touch to a tale that quietly applauds both the efforts and the rewards of friendship building and risk-taking. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Read it and smile. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews