Pete and Johnny to the Rescue

Pete and Johnny to the Rescue

Jorgen Clevin 1974

Interactive books are always fun.  This one has lots of things to look for and questions to answer as you read along.  There's even little stoplights on the pages to remind you to stop and answer the questions!   Pete the elephant goes to school while his friend Johnny stays home and takes care of their house on 14 Flower Street.  But as soon as school ends, Pete knows he has to get a job.  He wants to help people so Pete and Johnny start a Rescue Squad.  Soon they are performing all sorts of helpful tasks around their town.

Elephant end pages!

A Country Tale

A Country Tale

Diane Stanley 1985

 The best part about this story of two best friends is the detailed illustrations of Victorian cats!  Cleo and Lucy are two country cats and the best of friends.  They live simply and enjoy climbing Butternut Hill together on fine evenings.  Things change when haughty Mrs. Snickers moves into the manor house nearby.  Cleo becomes enamored with her fancy way of life and quite literally loses herself trying to be a fine lady.  In the end she makes her way back to her faithful friend, Lucy, who helps her rediscover who she really is and the kind of friendship that really matters.  

If you like Barbara McClintock illustrations (Heartaches of a French Cat, The Fantastic Drawings of Danielle), you'll like these as well!