You’ve Got So Many Friends, Immy (Immy #1)

Yellow-beaked avian protagonist Immy warmly greets a series of animalian friends in van Gageldonk’s congenial board book. Cheerful openness imbues each encounter, as described across simple text and companionable dialogue: “The caterpillar climbs on top of a leaf and stretches. ‘Would you like a little kiss, Immy?’ the caterpillar kindly asks. Immy would love that!” Thickly outlined in black, simply drawn subjects stand out against outdoor backdrops adorned with sparse inky detailing. Immy’s dot-like eyes, upturned mouth, and basic body language convey the tender comfort the figure seems to feel among creaturely pals; spying a bird, Immy raises an orange-tipped wing in greeting. A concluding moonlit moment shifts into bedtime territory when Immy leans against an elephant to rest—a fitting close to a cordial story that frames life in friendly terms. Ages 1–4. (July)