Clara the guinea pig loves purple. She also loves triangles, tuna, and making new friends. That’s why she’s thrilled when a classmate says to her, “Let’s be best friends!” Madison is bold and glamorous and soon the girls are inseparable. Madison even lets Clara clean up all her toys after they play together.

But Madison’s demands begin piling up. Why, she asks, does Clara wear the same purple dress every day? And why does she always eat triangle-shaped tuna sandwiches? It’s not long before Clara’s lunches aren’t nearly as much fun, and her favorite outfit stays in the closet. When Clara loses a treasured stone because she lacks pockets (the purple dress had big ones), she decides to go back to the things she likes.

Back to her true self, Clara is amazed to discover that being her own guinea pig not only makes her a new friend, but also helps her to keep an old one: Madison.

Through words and full-page pictures and vignettes, author/artist Ruth Ohi creates a charming world full of rich details and memorable characters. Children will recognize the experience of having a bossy friend, and will glean important knowledge from Clara’s gently learned wisdom.