Hello, everyone! Today, we read Little Bot And Sparrow by Jake Parker, a bittersweet tale about how friendship stays with us long after we say goodbye.

One spring, Little Bot is thrown out with the garbage. Having nothing to do and no one to serve, he sits and waits – inadvertently becoming a perfect perch for some sparrows. One kindly sparrow takes Little Bot under-wing, introducing him to her friends, playing outside, and teaching him how to be safe in the forest. As autumn rolls around, Sparrow sadly tells Little Bot that she must leave him soon, so they endeavor to cherish their remaining days together. And when winter comes, Sparrow sadly leaves her friend. Little Bot misses his first and best friend, but he treasures the memories of everything she taught him, and all the good times they shared.

To be honest, when I picked this book, I was not expecting the message to be what it was, but that’s not a bad thing. The story is full of joy and humor, but also tinged with a bit of sadness – not unlike many first friendships. So in splitting the friends up at the end, the story sends a candid message about what friendship must sometimes be: someone comes into your life, teaches and helps you, and is a wonderful friend, but sometimes you’ll also have to say goodbye. It’s honest, and could definitely help a child who is in the process of losing a friendship (as much as I moved around as a kid, I probably could have used a book like this). The art is absolutely lovely, hilarious and heartbreaking in turns, and the length is perfect for baby bookworms. JJ really enjoyed it, and I found it surprisingly moving. This is a great, honest, and touching parable about friendship, and we highly recommend giving it a read. Baby Bookworm approved!