The Day I Met BigFoot: And Made a New Friend

Miller’s loosely rhyming couplets describe a child’s burgeoning friendship with bigfoot in this upbeat picture book focused on tolerance. Enthusiastically awakening, a pink-skinned youth heads to the forest for a day of adventure, described in effusive lines: “I followed the path/ that I loved to explore/ Through the trees on the search/ for new friends and more!” The discovery of an oversize footprint initially worries the protagonist, but when the responsible party reveals himself, it becomes clear that bigfoot might be open to friendship. In sinuous multihued line art, Flook’s sunny woodland scenes convey their supernatural star’s kindheartedness with a wide grin that sometimes opens in gap-toothed delight. The arrival of dusk cuts the pair’s visit short, but not before the good-natured human offers a piece of universal advice: “Always be BRAVE!// The world is a great place where no one should hide,/ being a bit different should fill you with pride.” The creators lend a mythical flair to the saying “free to be you and me.” Ages 5–12. (Aug.)