Edwards, Carol. "Book Review: The Friends."

School Library Journal, vol. 42 (December 1996): 124-125. Praising the author's ability to portray childish logic in the young Japanese boys as they try to find out about death, Edwards here calls attention to the readable vocabulary of the translation by Ms. Hirani.

Farber, Susan R. Review of The Friends.

Voice of Youth Advocates (April 1, 1997): 35. Farber states that Yumoto's book is "charming and gentle" in reference to the ways that her three heroes are transformed from mischievous boys into friends of an elderly and lonely man.

Rochman, Hazel. Review of The Friends.

Booklist (October 15, 1996): 425. Rochman concentrates on the outsider feelings of Kiyama and his two friends and praises Ms. Hirani, the translator of this novel.

Yumoto, Kazumi. "Awards Speech." Horn Book, vol. 74 (January/February 1998): 44-49. In her awards speech for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for fiction, Yumoto describes her...