Don't Need Friends

There's a new dog in the junkyard, and boy, is he ever grouchy! He seems the perfect friend for surly, grumbling Rat. But the two animals are only interested in shouting at each other. "Don't you come near me!" barks Dog, and Rat mutters back, "Fine with me. Don't need friends, don't need 'em at all!" But as this crusty duo soon discovers, everybody needs a friend. Especially during a bitter winter in a junkyard where warmth is hard to find—and a foot-long salami sandwich is a near-miracle.

Endearing and sassy, this uplifting story of the importance of companionship will put a smile on even the grumpiest of faces.

Horn Book Magazine

In a story tailor-made for Oscar the Grouch fans, Rat gives up on friendship after his best friend, Possum, moves to a different junkyard: "Don't need friends, don't need 'em at all." The other junkyard animals try to exchange pleasantries with Rat, but he's rude to everyone including the new guy, Dog, who's just as grumpy as he. The two begin a daily routine of grousing at each other, until the cold winter day when Dog simply sniffles and sneezes in reply. Rat investigates, and soon the two are friends, a transformation humorously and believably conveyed in a fine melding of art and text: while their words continue to be gruff, loneliness and concern for the other are important on their faces. While they'll never win prizes for congeniality, Rat and Dog together gain a better disposition, occasionally leaving choice tidbits for the smaller animals: "Hate french fries,' Rat grumbled. 'Who needs 'em,' said Dog." The book neatly avoids sentimentality and closes with Rat's nifty new credo: Don't need many friends...Just need one.

Carolyn Crimi was born and raised on Long Island, New York, and now lives in Evanston, Illinois, with her husband Alfonso, and their two cats, Oscar and Mama. Carolyn received her B.A. from Lake Forest College. The author of several previous children's books, a travel guide, and numerous magazine articles and stories, she also teaches adult education courses in writing for children.

Lynn Munsinger, who was born in Greenfield, Massachusettes, graduated from tufts university, then studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. She has since illustrated more than eighty children's books, including Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best by Laura Numeroff, and The Three Blind Mice Mystery by Stephen Krensky. She lives in New York City, where she enjoys attending the opera, zooming around Central Park on her Rollerblades, and walking her two cairn terriers.