Most of the time, Hanna and Lizzy are best friends, but sometimes they get on each other’s nerves. One day while playing, Lizzy throws a ball over a fence and goads Hanna to do the same. Hanna’s inability to do so is the last straw, and she storms home to lament her broken friendship to her family. Each family member suggests a constructive activity to help Hanna overcome her frustration, but none offers to solve her problem for her. Hanna eventually starts talking to Lizzy again and, through their conversation, comes to realize that jealousy and frustration often go both ways, and that every friendship has its rough patches.

This is Frances Itani’s first children’s book since 1979’s Linger by the Sea. The lauded author of short stories and novels, including 2003’s Deafening and 2011’s Requiem, depicts children’s frustrations well, and knows how to draw a story to its natural conclusion using good pacing and easy vocabulary. She gets to the truth about friendship with grace and simplicity.

Illustrator Geneviève Després depicts Hanna as a small raccoon and Lizzy as a skunk. The Quebec-based artist takes great care to give the characters distinct physical details, such as Lizzy’s topknot, Hanna’s pigtails and pink necklace, and Hanna’s musician father’s pot-belly. The illustrations and text work together organically, but minor inconsistencies jump out. Though the characters are not shown wearing clothing, at one point Hanna laments: “That Lizzy. If Mom tells me to wear a jacket, Lizzy is allowed to wear short sleeves.”

Despite this, the illustrations are wonderful and the text insightful. Parents, teachers, and librarians will want to add this delightful book about friendship to their reading lists.