As excited as Marcus is on the day he moves into 44 MacDougal Street, there’s no welcoming committee to greet him. Or is there? Who’s skipping by on the sidewalk? Who’s whizzing by on a bike? It’s Katherine Brown, full of energy and enthusiasm and terrific ideas for fun. Rebecca Bond’s gleeful picture book celebrates new friends and new possibilities. The author/artist’s sprightly text balances judicious use of rhyme and alliteration with bursts of onomatopoeia. Her breezy acrylic illustrations use varied perspectives to capture the busyness of an urban neighborhood, the chaos of moving day, and the joy of a newfound friend. (Ages 5–8)

In her lyrical prose and expressive pictures, Bond captures the mixture of apprehension and curiosity that children feel upon arrival at their new home, but she also celebrates the joy of discovering a new neighborhood and meeting that first new friend on the block. Full color.