Review by Booklist Review
The stages of a friendship from initial shyness, discovery, and acceptance of quirks and flaws to establishing an enduring bond are memorably depicted in this story of a little girl and her new puppy. The curly-haired, brown-skinned girl narrates the story; part of the gentle humor here is the way she attributes occasionally being sloppy, dirty, smelly, and noisy to the puppy, when the illustrations make comically clear that she has these traits, too. The pencil-and-watercolor illustrations also use plenty of white space to put the focus on girl and puppy as they get to know each other. Their play moves from frolicking outside to inside, with some subtle delivery of other opposites, as in dirty and clean, lost and found. The book ends with a double-page spread on How to care for your new friend, which shows the girl with her puppy but also includes tips that equally apply to all friendships and self-care. A joyous look at the work and play that go into pet ownership and friendship.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-A little girl and a tiny puppy make friends in this sweet picture book about adopting a pet. Though girl and dog are initially a little nervous, they quickly bond. The concise, cheery text, told in first person and presented in a large font ("She gets lost...and found! Sometimes she gets dirty and needs a bath."), gently explains what to expect when a newcomer joins the household: lots of playtime, a little mess, and plenty of hugs and kisses-in short, a lot of work but just as many rewards. The ending contains a bit of a twist (hint: readers may be surprised to discover who's narrating); many spreads will provoke giggles upon rereads. Rendered in pencil and watercolor and digitally refined, the illustrations are cartoonlike and sweet, though never cloying, with copious white space. With thick black outlines and a simple palette, the images have an appealing solidity to them. The curly-haired, brown-skinned little girl and the large-eared, spotted puppy make an adorable pair as they learn what it means to gain a new companion. The final spread contains tips on how to take care of a new friend ("Hug," "Help each other," "Keep clean"). VERDICT A fine addition for medium to larger collections, especially where patrons are seeking materials on welcoming a pet to the family.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
I got a new friend. / Shes kind of shy," begins a simple first-person text as clean pencil and watercolor illustrations show a little (brown-skinned) girl and a puppy tentatively scoping each other out. Perceptive viewers may notice that the statements (e.g., "My friend is a sloppy eater") are true of both canine and girl in the pictures; the satisfying ending reveals the puppy as narrator. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A little girl finds out how much she has in common with her new puppy.A squat brown-skinned tot, with springy brown ringletsto match her basset hound's floppy earsis presented with a new puppy. "I got a new friend," the narrator declares. Is the girl or the puppy telling this story? It very well could be either. "She's kind of shy" (both the gal and the pup peer timidly at each other), "but she got used to me" (now both are all smiles). She can be naughty, messy, even stinky (requisite bathroom scene for storytime giggles), but she always needs lots of kisses. The cheerfully ingenuous text places the two in a comfortable, middle-class setting: there is a yard to play in, an easy chair to plant muddy foot- and pawprints on, and a sturdy yellow bed to jump on. Edwards' figures have the lovable solidity of Charles Schulz's, the girl with a round, slightly outsized head and both with infectious smiles. In the end, Edwards seems to clear up all narratorial ambiguity: "She can be a lot of work, but I love her. / She's my little girl!" (Both the girl and pup are entangled in a hug.) But of course, the puppy could be a girl, too. One will never knowbut discussion possibilities abound. A spread of further friendship tips appears on the rear endpapers. The book seems set up to explore a new pet relationship, yet it works on any friendship level and perhaps even a new-sibling introduction. Totally, infectiously ebullient. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
