Cherry and Olive
Written and illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe
Walker Books for Young Readers; $16.95
32 pp.; ISBN-13: 978-0802797070

Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews

In this poignant and moving story, young Cherry Sullivan struggles with not fitting in. She's lonely and doesn't have many friends; the girls in her school are far from kind and welcoming. Cherry simply tries to fade into the woodwork; she sticks to her books and is hopeful that no one will notice her. It's hard for Cherry to blend in though when she befriends a dog who's newly arrived at the animal shelter her father works at. The wrinkled dog whom Cherry names Olive becomes a fast friend, and the two begin frequent walks together. Cherry's keenly aware that if Olive's owners show up to reclaim her within a month, she'll have to give up her new friend. And when her worst fear comes true, Cherry has to find it within herself to take a chance and try to turn heartbreak into friendship.

Lacombe's expressive artwork is moody and atmospheric, telling the story as clearly as the prose. The artwork suggests texture in the weeping willow leaves, tree bark, Cherry's cable-knit sweater, and more. Dark colors and shadows reflect the gravity of the story while Cherry's bulky cable-knit sweater adds to her roundness and cloaks her like armor to deflect the thoughtless comments her classmates make. We learn that Cherry, despite her name, actively dislikes cherries, and cherry jam -- the kind her mother loved so much -- most of all. We also learn only that Cherry's mother left; Cherry now seeks solace in her books and companionship from the animals cared for at the shelter where her father works. The parallels between Cherry and Olive, the lost Sharpei, may be lost on the youngest listeners to the story, but the tone and pace of the story coupled with the artwork certainly convey Cherry's state with compassion.

Rather than let Cherry's story fall into melancholy, Lacombe successfully lifts the mood and tone with illustrations that incorporate lighter tones as the book progresses. Cherry's self-confidence grows as she cares for Olive, defending her against the taunts of the meanest girls at her school, something she would never have done for herself but willingly did for her friend Olive. And just when readers may fear that Olive's return to her owner may mean the end of Cherry's respite from loneliness, Lacombe gently opens a new chapter in Cherry's life, expanding her circle of friends to include Olive's owner.

Benjamin Lacombe, who's previous work includes French freelance art, comic books, and picture books, exhibits a distinctly French style in this book whose plot transcends geography. Children on both sides, those who feel like they don't fit in and those who may keep others from fitting in, can both appreciate the gentle lessons in Cherry and Olive.