Bookie & Cookie – Blanca Gomez – Review – Giveaway

BOOKIE & COOKIE by Blanca Gómez
GENRE: Children’s Picture Book/Friendship
PUBLISHER: Rocky Pond Books
RELEASE DATE: September 3, 2024
PAGES: 40

Even the best friendships have rough moments, but a true friend will always find a way to compromise (especially when cookies are involved!) – a scrumptious and clever read-aloud by the illustrator of Very Good Hats and Besos for Baby.

Bookie and Cookie are best friends. They love to spend time together, reading books and snacking on treats. But whenever this happens, it’s always at Cookie’s home . . . until the day when Bookie insists on getting together at his home instead. Cookie refuses: He doesn’t want to try something new. And now Bookie and Cookie are both alone, and the activities they used to enjoy together aren’t nearly as much fun. Can the two buddies each try something new for the sake of their friendship?

Best friends Bookie (who logically loves books) and Cookie (who, you guessed it, loves cookies) each live on separate sides of the page, Bookie on the left and Cookie on the right. They love to spend time together, but they only visit on Cookie’s side of the page. When Bookie suggests that they meet on his side of the page, Cookie is less than enthusiastic. After all, he doesn’t know what Bookie’s side of the page is like and he doesn’t like what he doesn’t know. How can Bookie convince Cookie to overcome his aversion to change and reach a compromise they can both live with?

I fell in love with Bookie & Cookie – the pair of friends AND the story – from the moment I got my first glimpse of this adorable picture book from Blanca Gómez. The endearing illustrations perfectly complement the story with bright colors, geometric shapes, and a paper collage motif. For its part, the text maintains an easy pace, typically with no more than two sentences per page (except for a few exceptions), and the vocabulary is simple. In fact, on the surface, both the text and the illustrations seem sweetly simple … and they are. But even in this simplicity there are many delightful layers to explore. Little details (like the books, wall art, and cookie jars) in the illustrations enhance the story, reminiscent of Kevin Henkes and Patricia Polacco, and the message of friendship, compromise, and conflict resolution can prompt some deep discussions between children and their parents/caregivers/teachers.

Bottom Line: In a word, Bookie & Cookie by Blanca Gómez is ADORABLE. The insanely cute characters, their bright and engaging pages (aka homes), the paper collage feel to the illustrations (giving it a multi-dimensional feel), and the gentle text beckons ‘read me’ as soon as you see the book. Children will quickly consider this a favorite to re-read, which is perfectly fine since the adults in their lives will love it too. And honestly, adults just as badly need the principles that it teaches about friendship, valuing others, generosity, and being open to new adventures. Colorful, sweet, and – yes – ADORABLE, Bookie & Cookie is a must for parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles, teachers, caregivers, librarians, and anyone who just loves a book that makes you smile!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 5 stars / fantastic!

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Blanca Gómez is an illustrator and designer who started creating illustrations for her mother when she was just a child. Now her art can be seen in the acclaimed picture books Besos for Baby, One Family, Red House Brown Mouse, Dress-Up Day, and Very Good Hats, among others. Connect with Blanca at her website.

PenguinKids is offering a print copy of Bookie & Cookie by Blanca Gómez to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Bookie & Cookie by Blanca Gómez with a little one in your life?

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