Friendships can bloom from the most unlikely of places, with joy to be found in most places – if you look deep enough that is! In fact, friendships don’t have to stay between people you know, they can come from your favourite animals too!

In Nicole Matheny’s touching children’s book, The Best of Friends, the connection is between a young boy and a duck he meets whilst swimming at the dock. Teaching children to build trust and find new connections is at the heart of this story – sure to bring a smile to the reader’s face.

We spoke to Nicole about how writing her second children’s book was different to her first, which real-life friendships inspired her fictional one and how she hopes to encourage more children to read.

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Your debut title, I Promise to Love You, was published in July 2021. In the three years since that release, what lessons have you learned which have helped you improve the publication of your new title: The Best of Friends?

I have learned to enjoy the process more by slowing down and appreciating each step of having a book published. I also learned to have patience and trust in Pegasus Publishers and know that they were as invested in the publication of my book as I was.

The titular ‘Friends’ in your book are a young boy and a duck. What friendship in your life is most important to you and how did it inspire the writing of this emotive story?

The most important friendship in my life is with my four children. They greatly inspired the writing of The Best of Friends. Spending quality time with them as they've grown has helped foster our relationships and enabled us to create a strong bond with one another. My friendship with my children inspired the heartfelt story between the boy and his 'Pal' because my children mean everything to me.

As one reads the book, one will come to learn that building a relationship over time that is based on trust and love will grow into a special friendship that is built to last.

Friendship and the importance of taking time to build close relationships are the foundation of your story. Was it a worry of drifting apart or a celebration of coming together that inspired you? Do you aim to encourage children to cherish their friends?

Yes, friendship and trust are at the core of my story. Friendship is a celebration of coming together that requires trust at the heart of it. A friendship built on trust will grow and blossom into a strong and lasting relationship as seen in the book between the boy and his 'Pal'. I hope to lead the children through examples found in, The Best of Friends, and help them understand the importance of cherishing their friends.

Designed for early readers, this book’s illustrations include a variety of insects and animals to be found. Do you hope this interactive aspect of the book will encourage kids to read more?

I hope the variety of insects and animals in the book will encourage kids to read more. I also hope to create fond memories of shared moments with loved ones. When my children were little, we read books together almost every night. The books they were most fond of were the interactive ones, hence my decision to include a ‘Did you find… (the animal or insect)’ at the end of the story. Challenging them to go back through the book and look for critters will help keep them engaged, eager, and excited for their next reading adventure.

With the publication of your second book, what hints can you give us to where your headed next creatively?

I am presently working on illustrating my third book. I don’t want to divulge any details because I prefer it to be a surprise, but I would like to express that I am most content and inflow during the illustration process.

The Best of Friends is available now in paperback.