Once Upon A Friend

Written by Dan Gemeinhart
Illustration by ShinYeon Moon
Henry Holt and Company
©2024

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About This Book

“Once upon a time, I met my reader. . .
As soon as our young reader opens the cover of Meego's book, the pair are the best of friends. Side by side, they leap from the adventures in Meego’s stories to the adventures in the child’s real life. From courageously creeping into shadowy caves to weathering Very Big Days like the first day of school, the friends journey and grow together through thick and thin. Though seasons turn, just like pages, the friends and memories we make within stories always stay with us. Once Upon a Friend is an imaginative ode to the beloved fictional characters who we never leave behind.”

“Moon’s illustrations, rendered in gentle bubble gum hues and soft textures, add charm to the tale, and the reappearance of childhood toys and books in a weathered state later in the book is a nice touch.” — Kirkus Review

“Moon draws book character Meego, this story’s pensive narrator, in crisp lines and soft colors: the purple creature sports rosy cheeks, a raccoon-like tail, and a hat topped with a white flower. Though Meego frets between readings, there seems little cause for immediate alarm, since the child, portrayed with brown skin, insists on regular rereads (“Again!!!”) as well as on toting the book during various milestones. “My covers opened less and less” as the child matures, but one day Meego is taken from “dust and shadows.” It’s an earnestly told work best directed at readers in the throes of object attachment.” — Publisher’s Weekly