In this charming story, two next-door neighbors find a way to form a friendship, despite their dramatically different schedules.
"Deep in the woods, there are two houses," Japanese author Mayuko Kishira begins. "Chicken lives in the house with the red roof. No one lives in the house with the blue roof." Japanese artist Jun Takabatake paints the homes as mirror images, with the blue door of the blue-roofed house on the right; Chicken's red door is on the left. He shows Chicken's daily routine, with rectangular panels joined together like a quilt: waking at sunrise, eating breakfast, taking a nap, etc.: "By sundown, Chicken is sound asleep." One morning, Chicken finds discovers that a neighbor has moved in (a chair sits outside and laundry hangs on the line). Day after day, Chicken keeps watch for his neighbor, "But no one comes out" (though the laundry on the clothesline of the blue-roofed house changes). Then Chicken gets an idea: he'll leave a letter on his neighbor's door. Readers see who opens the door before Chicken does: "Owl is overjoyed to find the letter." Owl has been keeping watch each night for his neighbor. He leaves a reply and finally they meet.
The two neighbors remain true to their natural rhythms, yet find a way to stay in close touch. It's a gentle reminder to children that there are many ways to keep a friendship, and makes an ideal conversation-starter with children who are moving, or even assigned to a different classroom from their friends. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness