Mouse is happy playing with Ball on his own, but when Elephant comes along, followed shortly by Giraffe, they find ways to have fun together--"They liked the same games. They ate the same snacks. They needed no one else." When Porcupine, whom they've never met, appears, the trio hesitates about including him, but they soon realize he's a delightful playmate, too, as is just-arrived Warthog. Each creature introduces a different activity, like tree-climbing or make-believe. When they stumble upon Lion, they ask him to play, but "he only wanted to sit." But even he has something special to share: the pleasures of quiet time, appreciating nature's beauty, and just being with one another. Judge's signature lively, detailed watercolor illustrations depict the cute, expressive animals, their interactions, and their frolicsome activities with amusing, touching details, such as Porcupine wearing the accidentally deflated ball as a little hat and Warthog decorating Lion's tail with flowers. The sweet concluding group hug reinforces themes of what it means to have friends and how welcoming new ones can be both surprising and rewarding.