Friendship in All Forms! – Let’s Be Best Friends Forever [Review]

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Title: Let’s Be Best Friends Forever
Author: Multiple Authors (Anthology)
Introduction: Jerry Pinto
Cover Illustration: David Yambem
Type: Paperback
Age group: 10 years+
Genre: Anthology of Short Stories
Publisher: Talking Cub (An imprint of Speaking Tiger Books)
Length: 299 pages

Hello friends!
We received this delightful book last week, and we absolutely loved it. When dear Asha asked if we could review it, I read the blurb and immediately said yes! Not only did it seem gift-worthy, but after reading it, I can confirm that my first impression still holds true. I’ll keep my review brief—this book feels like a warm, comforting hug, the feel-good read you’d want to settle down with in a cosy corner of your home. The stories’ collection made me nostalgic, as some took me back to my school days when I enjoyed reading some of the stories as part of my syllabus.

Now, let me hand over the review to my 12-year-old, who also has a few things to say:

Hello, hello!

I’m back with another review! This time, it’s on the anthology Let’s Be Best Friends Forever, a collection of stories all centered around the theme of friendship. This book is special because it brings together the works of different authors, each offering a unique perspective on friendship. This is my first anthology read, and I was amazed at the variety of friendships portrayed—some are between people, others between animals, and even between living beings and inanimate objects, which is just fascinating!

The stories I enjoyed the most were by Ruskin Bond, Rabindranath Tagore, Nandita Da Cunha, Munshi Premchand, Oscar Wilde, Bulbul Sharma, and W.H.D. Rouse. Each author presents a different take on what friendship means, and that’s what makes this book such a delightful read. Here are a few of my favourites:

1. The Kabulliwalla
   This story is about Mini, a little girl, and her unlikely friendship with Rahmun, the Kabulliwalla (a man who sells dry fruits). Their bond is heartwarming and shows how friendship can bloom between two people from vastly different backgrounds.
2. My Pallie
   Siya, a tall girl, struggles to make friends, so she creates a tall ragdoll named Pallie. One night, Pallie comes to life and tells Siya that she’ll disappear on her 10th birthday. The rest of the story explores the magical bond of friendship between Siya and Pallie.
3. A Tale of Two Oxen
   This story follows two oxen, best friends, who are mistreated by their owner’s relative. After escaping back to their owner, they try to run away again but fail. It’s a touching story about the enduring bond of friendship, even in difficult circumstances.
4. Friends Forever
   A girl who moves to the city with her father after losing her mother forms a friendship with the other workers at an English Sahib’s house. When a terrorist attack leaves the children alone, they bond while caring for each other, forging friendships that help them through a dangerous situation.
5. The Stag, The Crow, and The Jackal
   This story is about the friendship between a stag and a crow. When a cunning jackal tries to lure the stag into a trap, the clever crow steps in to save his friend, showing how true friends protect each other.
6. The Selfish Giant
   A giant owns a beautiful garden but refuses to let children play in it. When he shoos them away, Spring and Autumn leave his garden too. Eventually, he realizes the joy the children bring and invites them back, learning the value of friendship and sharing.

I highly recommend Let’s Be Best Friends Forever to anyone who enjoys stories about friendship. The variety of friendships—between humans, animals, and even objects—is truly engaging. I loved this book, and I’m sure you will too!

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Disclaimer: We got this book as part of #kbcReviewerSquad from the publisher via kbc and we feel happy and privileged to be part of it as we are free to have our opinions and give an honest review of the book.