‘Shorty & Clem,’ written and illustrated by Michael Slack, is an adorable story about two best friends. The plot is simple, but very sweet. Clem, a cute little quail, goes out for a while, leaving Shorty, a very short dinosaur, otherwise known as a shortysaurus, all alone. Shorty, despite meaning well, has an altogether too curious personality. So, when a package arrives, he jumps out of his skin, wondering just what it might be that has arrived. His imagination wanders and he gets super excited about opening up his package. That is until he realizes that the package is in fact not for him – it’s for Clem.

This turn of events only serves to pique Shorty’s curiosity, and for every thought he has about what could be inside, he tries to tell himself that the package is not his and he must stop thinking about it. This hardly works, as Shorty finds himself messing with the package in a variety of ways. When it accidentally opens, Shorty is very upset with himself, despite all of the attention he paid to it to try to find out what was inside. He worries about what Clem’s reaction will be. When Clem returns, the turn of events is not necessarily what anyone would expect, and shows how friendship can win out despite worry and bad feelings that may occur in the interim.

Michael Slack has crafted a story that combines friendship, wonderment, worry, forgiveness, and an emotional rollercoaster for Shorty as he navigates trying to figure out how to handle this package that has arrived. Young kids and their parents will love sharing their storytelling time with this cute and thoughtful tale that will have them smiling and laughing along.

You can find ‘Shorty & Clem’ by Michael Slack here.

*Review originally posted on YABooksCentral.com*