Lilibet Makes a Friend

by Kersten Hamilton, Shanda McCloskey (Illustrator)

Overview

Lilibet has lots of friends—it’s just that they are all imaginary! Can she build the perfect real-life friend?

With a relatable neurodivergent main character and a message of friendship and acceptance, this funny and heartfelt picture book is perfect for 3-5 year olds.

Lilibet has tools, a lab, and a notebook. She also has lots of friends, like Calico Cate, Tom Zombie, and Dire Pup. It’s just that they’re all imaginary. So she plans a new project, REAL FRIEND 1.0, and makes a list of requirements:

• Knows the difference between a bug and an insect (extremely important!)
• Never calls her robot face
• Or computer brain
• Does not ask if Lilibet is a boy or a girl

As she sets out to build a friend, she is joined by Paul “Peanut” Shelley, who is keen to help, whether Lilibet likes it or not. It turns out, sometimes the best of friends come from unexpected places.

Celebrated author Kersten Hamilton writes from her own experience on the autism spectrum, creating a one-of-a-kind neurodivergent protagonist in a story brimming charm and humor.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368104197
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/07/2026
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Kersten Hamilton is the critically acclaimed author of books for toddlers, teens, and all people in between. Her fast-paced stories are loved by readers around the world. RED TRUCK (illustrated by Valeria Petrone), which was called “well-crafted” and “appealing” in a starred review from Booklist, has sold almost a quarter of a million copies and given rise to a series nitty-gritty machine books for itty-bitty readers that now includes YELLOW COPTER, BLUE BOAT, GREEN TRACTOR, ORANGE EXCAVATOR, and MERRY CHRISTMAS, RED TRUCK! Her picture book about the evolution of dogs from wild wolves to humans’ best friend, FIRST FRIEND (illustrated by Jaime Kim), was called “lyrical” and “delightful” by Kirkus and received a starred review from SLJ, and her YA novel IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT (second in the Goblin Wars trilogy) led Kirkus to call her “a wizard at creating tension.” She is eagerly awaiting her invitation to wizarding school. Kersten has worked as a ranch hand, a wood cutter, a lumberjack, a census taker, a wrangler for wilderness guides, and an archeological surveyor. She currently lives in New Mexico, where, when not writing, she hunts dinosaurs in the Ojito Wilderness.

Shanda McCloskey is an author and illustrator of children’s picture books and graphic novels, including Smash, Crash, Topple, Roll! (written by Catherin Thimmesh), which was called “Funny, chock-full of science, and wonderfully complicated” by Kirkus in a starred review. She lives with her husband, daughters, and dog in Georgia. Learn more at www.ShandaMc.com.