“Hot days sure can make tempers short,” says Miss Johnson when Kishi and Renee refuse to talk to one another. Instead the two girls glare at each other from their respective porches. It’s a hot day on Abbott Avenue, and no matter what kind of distraction the adults concoct to make the girls forgive one another, it’s a “best-friend-breakup day” and a “never-speak-to-her-again-even-if-she-was-the last-person-on-earth day.” Extraordinarily intricate collages of paper cuts depict the people in motion in the neighborhood and create an urban rhythm through the movement of bodies. Finally it’s the sound of other girls jumping rope that lures Kishi and Renee back to their friendship, and when the ice cream man comes selling blue popsicles (the initial source of disagreement) Kishi shares hers with Renee. The last page shows the girls with blue lipped smiles, “feeling-good-about-being-best-friends day.” Highly Commended, 2005 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 5–9)

It's the hottest, stickiest day of the summer. A fat-sun-in-the-sky day. An eating-ice-pops-on-the-porch day. And for Kishi and Renée, it's a best-friends-breakup day. Each girl sits on her own front porch, waiting for the other to apologize, even though they know they'll never speak to each other again, no matter how bored they get. But then the sounds of feet slapping the pavement and voices chanting double-dutch rhymes drift up the avenue, and neither one can resist going out in the street to play.

This lyrical friendship story, the first collaboration of two outstanding artists, pairs a rhythmic text with distinctive collage illustrations. Its subtle message about sharing and forgiveness will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced the ups and downs of being, and having, a best friend.