The Last Day Julian Was My Best Friend is a story about honesty, guilt and friendship. Julian and Anthony are neighbours and best friends. They are enjoying summer doing lots of things together like making pancakes, riding bikes to the beach, playing in the sand and surf, and more. One day, Julian gets a gift of a marble and they play together with it having lots of fun, but then, the marble goes missing. They look for it everywhere, but can't find it. Anthony knows what happened to it, but is worried to tell Julian because he is sure he won't want to be his friend anymore. He decides to have one last great day with his best friend. They have a wonderful day, and finally Anthony tells him. How does Julian react? I think I liked this book more than my grandkids did. They enjoyed the parts where the boys were friends playing and doing things together. We talked about what kinds of things they did with their friends. When the part about the missing marble came up, they just said that Anthony should tell the truth, but otherwise, they wanted to move on. I wanted to talk more about honesty and guilt, but they didn't. Maybe I was being a bit too preachy. The illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff are cute, showing lots of emotion and all the fun things they did together. They were muted in tone and not as eye catching as if they had been larger and more vibrant.

this book really surprised me, it wasnt what I though it would be in the best of ways.
its a story about friendship, trusting your friends, forgiveness and so much more.
Adore it!

I thought this was brilliant. Really unique and interesting approach to exploring difficult conversations with young children. Beautifully illustrated too.

This is a great story for children, from both sides of the story. Kids make stupid choices and take things, and it was good to see how Anthony spent all day worrying but he knew the right thing to do anyway and he did it. Julian was the perfect example of understanding that people do stupid things sometimes and as long as they make amends, it can be forgiven. And that if you're truly best friends, then it really will be for forever.

Such a sweet book about friendship and how being honest can help you overcome the bad stuff sometimes. Very cute illustrations!

Thank you to the author, Two Lions books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting this review, I am well behind - this is in no way a reflection of my enjoyment of this title!

This children's book is a touching story that highlights the themes of friendship, honesty - and the heavy burden that secrets can bring with them - mistakes, remorse and forgiveness. The illustrations are wonderful, giving a sense of the unlimited possibility of summer days, and the themes come across well and give a good starting point to talk about these topics.

A book that teaches children about friendship, making mistakes, remorse, guilt, and forgiveness.

I wish it could've been longer, especially the part about them making up / solving the issue. But it's a great book nonetheless.

The Last Day Julian Was My Best Friend by Jody Jensen Shaffer is a touching and heartfelt children's book that explores the true meaning of friendship and the power of forgiveness. Set against a carefree summer vacation, the story follows best friends Anthony and Julian as they embark on a series of adventures together.

From making pancakes to riding bikes to the beach, Anthony and Julian are inseparable, enjoying every moment of their summer vacation to the fullest. However, Anthony harbors a secret about Julian's missing marble that threatens to disrupt their friendship. Fearing Julian's reaction, Anthony struggles with guilt and uncertainty, determined to make their last day together as best friends memorable.

Jody Jensen Shaffer's storytelling is gentle and poignant, capturing the complexity of childhood friendships with sensitivity and warmth. Through Anthony's perspective, young readers are invited to grapple with honesty, loyalty, and the importance of owning up to one's mistakes. As Anthony wrestles with his conscience, readers are reminded of the value of open communication and the healing power of forgiveness.

The illustrations by Jody Jensen Shaffer complement the text beautifully, bringing the story to life with vibrant colors and expressive characters. Each illustration is filled with emotion and detail, adding depth and dimension to the narrative and engaging readers visually.

What truly sets The Last Day Julian Was My Best Friend apart is its heartfelt message of redemption and reconciliation. As Anthony bravely confronts and shares his secret with Julian, the story emphasizes the transformative power of honesty and vulnerability in strengthening friendships.

Overall, The Last Day Julian Was My Best Friend is a heartwarming and relatable story that will resonate with readers of all ages. Through its timeless themes and engaging storytelling, this book reminds us that true friendship withstands challenges and flourishes with love, understanding, and forgiveness. Jody Jensen Shaffer has crafted a beautiful ode to friendship that will leave a lasting impression on readers long after the final page.

Compellingly done, this shows two best friends, one of whom is in possession of a fabulous marble, until he's not – it's gone missing. Or rather, it's been taken by his best friend, who is sad now that the friendship is forced to end when he fesses up and hands it back. But is that the end of everything? This colourfully shows us that no, friendship when it matters can sustain itself past such handicaps, however – it is only a flippin' marble, after all. The ways the friendship comes out in innocent summer activities, cooperation, closeness and in-jokes when it comes to the frying pan, are all warmly achieved, but the whole has a most relatable intimacy that, even when it is just about a marble, shows this as a situation of much greater importance. A most useful book for those who need them to discuss friendship matters with the very young, that doesn't forget we need a reason such as enjoyment to pick them up in the first place – four and a half stars.

A heartwarming story about friendship and what keeping a secret from a friend can do to you. A great choice to start a conversation with children about honesty and forgiveness.

Have you ever read a picture book that makes you hold your breath out of fear of the outcome? One that you feel more than read because the emotions are so familiar? This is that kind of book. “The Last Day Julian Was My Best Friend” describes and depicts a childhood friendship. But then the mistake happens. The one the title hints at. And the guilt. Jody Jensen Shaffer’s words blend beautifully with Joanne Lew-Vriethoff’s illustrations, highlighting the question, “Can friendships survive after a betrayal?” I will buy this book for my TK-2nd grade library, knowing that students need it to understand the answer to that question.

This book was so sweet! It was a really good concept to show kids that if they are honest you can forgive. I will definitely be reading this again to my daughter so she will understand.

Grab your tissues…you will need them to wipe away the tears – THE LAST DAY JULIAN WAS MY BEST FRIEND captured my heart – a perfect story about the power of forgiveness!
The text has wonderful rhythm, great sets of three, and sparse language - hallmarks of a winning picture book that keeps us...and every child reader and listener engaged from beginning to end!
And the illustrations!!! So lovely – and we feel the emotions of both characters from the expressions on their faces. A masterful addition for school libraries and home bookshelves!

This attention-grabbing title features best friends Anthony and Julian, who love to spend time together riding bikes, going to the beach, having sleepovers. It is the best summer ever until Anthony has a terrible secret, something that might just ruin their friendship. Wracked with guilt and worry, Anthony is determined to create the best last day ever as Julian’s best friend. Joanne Lew-Vriethoff’s illustrations are engaging and sweet, and build reader's empathy for both characters until the truth us finally revealed. Kirkus says this book is “A touching story of true friendship and the power of forgiveness.” Will certainly help pave the way to conversations about making choices and taking responsibility both in the classroom and at home.

I found it very hard to rate children's books so everything is a 5 star read for me!!
I really loved this book, the illustrations are so beautiful and captivating that I found myself smiling through every page I read.
The story itself is very beautiful and inspiring <3

This book is a great story for children to remind them that being truthful can be hard, especially if we know it will hurt someone's feelings, but it is always better to be honest. It is also a good story to show kids that true friends still love you even when you've done something that you need to ask for forgiveness for.

Remorse. Sharing. Forgiveness. Mistaken deeds can happen to anyone, but it doesn't need to lead to the end of a friendship.
The illustrations by the Joanne Lew-Vriethoff are imaginative, colorful, and delightful.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, hospital, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books | Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Pub Date 04 Jun 2024

What a lovely little story with a lovely message and a lovely ending.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that all kids have at some point taken something that they shouldn't have. And what do you do in that situation, when you want to give it back but don't want to have it be known that you took that thing in the first place? That's essentially what this book teaches and it does so in a very sweet way.
Also, illustrations are nice. I can recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

This book gave me all the feels and it melted my cold cynical adult heart. I really enjoyed this story of friendship. This book teaches very important lessons that children need to learn in their life. I also really enjoyed the illustrations. I really enjoyed this book and I can imagine children will too!
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This is a really lovely picture book about the worries children have. The boy was worried that Julian wouldn't be his friend once he'd realised what he'd done and so he spent time worrying and trying to have fun with him for one last day. Such a sweet story and one that should definitely be on KS1 bookshelves.