Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

Pete and Suzie is a children's book written by Samantha Ahearne and illustrated by Julie Sneeden. It is well known that pelicans and seagulls are enemies. Pelicans are quiet and practice yoga each morning while seagulls are loud, screechy, and demanding. While competing in a synchronized swimming event, Sully the seagull sees a fish in the pelicans' routine, swoops down, and eats it. One Saturday, Suzie the seagull is dared to talk to the pelicans, and when she does, Pete the pelican talks back. He explains yoga and chakras to her. When Pete's mother hugs Suzie, the other seagulls panic, thinking she's just been eaten. Suzie learns all about chakras and does yoga, having such a wonderful time! She hopes the other seagulls will start to learn yoga with her. Together, Suzie and Pete do yoga, dance, go fishing, and learn synchronized swimming. It does not matter one little bit that they look nothing alike - they are friends and love to do things together.

I couldn't help laughing during the panic of Suzie maybe having been eaten. People so often think that one has to be a virtual clone of another person to become their friend, but friendships come in many shapes and sizes, as Samantha Ahearne's well-written tale shows us. It usually just takes a 'hello' to start a conversation with somebody new. Once the other person responds and wishes to interact, a new friendship has begun. The seagulls in this tale are very animated and remind me so much of the seagulls in Brisbane, Sydney, and Canberra when I was young. Often, seagulls come across as rude and uncouth while pelicans are graceful and quiet. Pete and Suzie's friendship is one I wish all young readers could aspire to; not by liking someone because of how they look, but because they share common interests with you. I recommend Pete and Suzie to all young readers over the age of six years and suggest parents explain why new friends can be any color, any gender, and (in Pete and Suzie's case) any species of bird.