Walter Had a Best Friend (Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of 2022)

Walter and Xavier are best friends. They do everything together! But then...quietly...slowly...Xavier becomes best friends with someone else. Walter goes from feeling hurt and left out to feeling confused and angry to feeling just plain lonely. Until one morning he wakes up feeling a tiny bit hopeful. That day, while out for a hike by himself, he meets Ollie. Could this be the beginning of a new friendship?

Sometimes best friends aren't forever, and that's okay. Because there might be a new pal waiting just around the corner.

Deborah Underwood is the author of numerous books for kids, including the Caldecott Honor book Outside In and the New York Times bestsellers The Quiet Book, The Loud Book, and Here Comes the Easter Cat. She lives in Northern California with her feline muse, Bella. Visit her at DeborahUnderwoodBooks.com.

Sergio Ruzzier has written and illustrated many celebrated picture books, including We Give Thanks by Cynthia Rylant and his own Good Boy, A Letter for Leo, and the Fox and Chick series, the first book in which received a Geisel Honor. His work has been awarded by American Illustration, The Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, The Society of Publication Designers, and Parents’ Choice. In 2011, he received the Sendak Fellowship. Sergio lives in Italy, and you can visit him at Ruzzier.com.