The illustrations were cute and I loved the different band names. But I felt like the whole idea of a backtrack was over my kids head. It also really bothered them that the band mates had names like Fox and Bear but the Bad Apples got real names. It’s a great message but missed the mark a little with my kids.

Thank you to NetGalley and Magination press for the eARC!

Happy Together is a book about a band of animals that are playing their first festival. Fox, the drummer, sees that his favorite band "The Bad Apples" is on the festival ticket, and he is so excited to see them. He thinks "The Bad Apples" are really cool, much cooler than him and his band. He starts to make decisions based on his comparisons, and it causes conflict between him and his bandmates/best friends. On a much deeper level, this book focuses on the impacts of comparison, insecurity, and self-love, ending with a message that being yourself is a super power! Having friends like you for just the way you are is an important message that is shared in this book. An interesting touch was making The Bad Apples "Fakes" but I think that also communicates that things are not always what they seem, so it's not right to make decisions and assumptions based on what we see at face value. Bear, Duck, and Seagull are really nice characters, and illustrations are really enjoyable. I would recommend this book for lessons on comparison, self-love, and being true to yourself.

I like how Fifi, FrouFrou, and Fluffy enter the stage of friendships and discover so many dimensions of it, how to handle miscommunication and uncomfortable moments that leads them to happy together.

A charming story for kids 5-9 with colorful illustrations about learning to be oneself while managing conflict with friends. A gem!