Review - Life Is Better with Friends

Life Is Better with Friends
by Micol Ostow
illustrated by Keiron Ward
Date: 2021
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Friends fans of all ages will love this all-new picture book with adorable art, based on the blockbuster TV show!

For when it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year . . . your friends will be there for you! Rediscover many of the amazing and heart-warming moments that Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, and Joey experienced in the hit TV show Friends. You'll get to see Central Perk, Rachel and Monica's apartment, Marcel the monkey, and a whole lot more. With an adorable art style and a focus on key moments, this is the picture book you've been waiting for!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a strange little book. Who's the audience? As a picture book for kids, it's very basic, and simply reiterates that friends are good things to have in your life. As a bit of nostalgia for adults who are familiar with the series, it works a lot better. Fans of the show will get all the references that would seem random or nonsensical to people who've never seen the show (e.g., "Pivot!"). The illustrations include lots of nods and winks to famous episodes (including the jellyfish incident, the turkey-as-a-hat, and Ross and Joey's infamous nap), and fans might come away from this with an urge to binge-watch the series one more time.

I'd probably recommend this to adults who are fans of the original series. They could read it to their little kids, too, although those without knowledge of the show will probably just see this as a simple story espousing the benefits of friendship.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 2.83 out of 5