Noodle and Lou by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Arthur Howard Ages 2-6 32 pages Beach Lane Books March 2011 Hardcover     An unlikely pair of friends - Noodle (a worm) and Lou (a bird) - illustrate what real friendship is all about. In this picture book, Noodle is feeling really down: “His bright side was muddy. His high points sank low. The grass grew much greener in other worm’s rows.” Feeling glum, Lou calls upon his feathered buddy to perk him up. Lou gives Noodle a hug and gives the worm’s self confidence a boost, “And in spite of himself Noodle had to admit that he and his friend were a very fine fit.” Vibrant cartoon illustrations which feature Noodle sporting a baseball hat at a rakish angle (how else can you approach a worm?) and a cute, rhymed narrative make this a book young readers will enjoy. Most importantly, it emphasizes the fact that if you are feeling down, you really need a good friend to help reverse that dark mood.     web reviews   Bob Walch/2011 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)