Review by New York Times Review
A boy and his dog head to the moon, a crab bakes cakes, a cat foils a bakery break-in: These books send imaginations soaring. ONE IS A PIÑATA Written by Roseanne Greenfield Thong. Illustrated by John Parra. Thong and Parra have explored shapes ("Round Is a Tortilla") and colors ("Green Is a Chile Pepper") with adorable bilingual flair, and this take on the numbers one to 10 is just as appealing. Each object is named in Spanish, with surrounding text in English ("six flavored aguas to quench our thirst"), while Parra's folk-art illustrations give visual clues to scenes from Latino life. Each friendly page beckons - to find stuff to count, or just to imagine lying on the beach under one of the five palapas. 32 pp. Chronicle. $16.99. (Ages 3 to 5) THERE ARE NO BEARS IN THIS BAKERY Written and illustrated by Julia SarconeRoach. A protective tabby named Muffin, a shop called Little Bear Bakery, a nighttime intruder. Is it a giant mouse? Or... a baby bear, helping herself to the goodies? Muffin is on the case. Sarcone-Roach ("The Bear Ate Your Sandwich") draws her audience in with I'm-the-boss cat humor and expressive mixed-media art in shades of blue and orange, perfectly capturing moods ranging from a terrified kitty ("I was smooshed, like a muffin between the couch cushions") to a satisfying bear hug. This delightful caper calls out for multiple readings. 32 pp. Knopf. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) TEN RULES OF THE BIRTHDAY WISH Written by Beth Ferry. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Admit it, that annual wish you make before blowing out the candles is a huge deal. This antic step-by-step guide at first plays it for laughs, pulling in dinosaurs, rhinos, penguins and many more creatures to sow amusing chaos. Dogs howl the birthday song off-key, and puffer fish are warned not to take a big breath. But the always vibrant Lichtenheld and Ferry turn sweetly serious for the moment we've been waiting for, with a gentle reminder: "Don't forget that wish ends in 'shhhhhh.' " 40 pp. Putnam. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) GOOD BOY Written and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. This latest from Ruzzier (the Fox & Chick books) has just one or two words per page. But with lovely art that turns effortlessly surreal, that's all it takes to tell a clever, comical story of a truly mutual relationship. A boy and his dog, whose coat is the same shade of yellow as the boy's hair, practice canine training commands like "Sit" and "Jump" that soon morph into wondrous feats like "Cook." Before you know it, the devoted pair are off on an outer-space adventure. 40 pp. Atheneum. $15.99. (Ages 4 to 8) WHAT IS GIVEN FROM THE HEART Written by Patricia C. McKissack. Illustrated by April Harrison. In this exquisite story of generosity from the beloved McKissack, who died in 2017, a little boy named James Otis and his mama have fallen on hard times after his father's death. But they keep their spirits up, focusing on a request by their minister to add to a "love box" for a family that lost everything in a fire. Harrison has created soft yet dazzling illustrations for this tribute to faith, hope and the African-American community 32 pp. Schwartz & Wade. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) THE NEIGHBORS Written and illustrated by Einat Tsarfati. Translated by Annette Appel. All apartment buildings contain tantalizing mysteries, and the red-haired girl who narrates this zany treat tells what's behind each door in hers: a tiger, a vampire, a family that "celebrates someone's birthday at least once a week." Tsarfati ("An After Bedtime Story") balances visual extravagance with sneaky insight into how kids think of home. 40 pp. Abrams. $16.99. (Ages 4 to 8) CRAB CAKE Written and illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi. The sea creatures who populate Tsurumi's underwater idyll live harmoniously, yet each does its own thing, including Crab, who bakes cakes. But when someone dumps trash into their home, the psychedelic colors darken. What to do? The eco-friendly lesson goes down easy as "everybody comes together," pitching in to haul the trash away, with another cake from Crab waiting at the end. 40 pp. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. $17.99. (Ages 4 to 8) CICADA Written and illustrated by Shaun Tan. Like all Tan's genre-defying books, this one vibrates with profound questions about how we choose to live and how we treat one another. A gray-suited cicada is an office drone, insulted and underpaid by the humans; he lives in an office wall space. After 17 years, he's shown the door. Despondent, he seems about to jump from the roof, but instead sheds the suit and becomes dozens of bright red insects, flying away to freedom. 32 pp. Arthur A. Levine. $19.99. (Ages 12 and up) MARIA RUSSO is the children's books editor of the Book Review.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [June 30, 2019]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Now this is how to train a dog! Ink-and-watercolor illustrations on plain white backgrounds show a young boy giving his dog the usual commands: Sit. Stay. Roll over. But as the tale moves from usual to un-, we observe the dog obeying some not-so-common entreaties. A two-page spread of three vignettes with the words Cook. Serve. Eat. show the helpful canine standing on a stool, stirring a meal on the stove. He then carries two plates, sits on the stool, and eats dinner with a fork at the table with his best friend. When the boy opens the front door, backgrounds become colorful as the two companions pedal away from home, repair and sail a boat, build a spaceship, and rocket off to the moon. When their afternoon adventure is over, they return home to their (extra)ordinary lives. The reader gets to decide which of the two is the "Good Boy, since it appears that the dog is the one reading the bedtime story before the two settle down for the night. One or two words per page and help from the illustrations make this an accessible easy reader. What, at first, appears to be a customary story of a boy and his dog turns out to be so much more and so much more fun.--Maryann Owen Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This gem of a story by Ruzzier (Fox & Chick: The Party and Other Stories) stars a boy in a green T-shirt that doesn't quite meet his shorts. He has an exceedingly well-trained dog, and the comedy comes from the boy's increasingly improbable commands. "Sit," the boy says to the dog. "Stay. Roll over." Pretty soon, they're off to harder things: "Juggle," the boy directs, and the hound obligingly lofts a ball of yarn, a bone, a liquid-filled drinking glass, and more. The dog cooks a meal and serves it, repairs a boat and sails the boy to an island, then the two blast into outer space ("Go," says the boy from inside the rocket they've built). The unflappable child never seems surprised by his canine's superb competence, and he's willing to help out where necessary. When the duo opens the door to venture outside, ink-and-watercolor spot illustrations open out into views of land and sea bathed in warm, golden light. The sparse text, the tidiness with which Ruzzier works out his concept, and the endearing qualities of his two heroes make the book a small classic. Ages 4-8. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-A boy and his dog take an unexpected journey in this picture book for early readers. The simple narrative begins with a light-skinned, blond-haired boy and his similarly golden-haired dog scampering across plenty of white space. The boy's commands for the dog appear in large, black text: "Sit. Stay. Roll over." The dog's skills are more advanced than one would expect, however, as the next spread sees him "Stand. Shake. Bow." From there, it becomes clear that this canine has more in common with Gromit than with the average house pet. While he can certainly "Fetch" and "Jump," he can also "Juggle," "Cook. Serve," and "Clean." After sharing a meal, the two friends venture outdoors into a strikingly colorful landscape, taking a bike, a boat, and eventually a rocket ship on a brief, out-of-this world trip. The day ends with the dog tucking in his boy with a story, a song, and after the boy's request to "Stay," a snuggle. Ruzzier's distinctive cartoon-style, ink and watercolor illustrations propel most of the story, offering plenty of visual interest and cues for pre-readers to decode the limited text. The boy, with his drooping socks, and his belly occasionally protruding from under his T-shirt, is realistically childlike and charming. VERDICT A simple yet surprising friendship story, perfect for preschool audiences and for those just beginning to read. A first -purchase.-Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN © Copyright 2019. 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
On the cover, a ginger-haired boy and a lop-eared, ginger-furred dog greet each other, but it doesnt look like a paw shake between owner and pet. Instead, it looks like two established and slightly formal friends shaking hands. The simple image tips us the wink that this boy/dog relationship is not straightforward. The text, in the imperative mood, begins with the familiar commands of puppy school: Sit; Stay; Roll over. Gradually, these commands become more elaborate and unlikelyCook; Serveuntil, as the white backgrounds explode with gorgeous color, the dog repairs a rowboat (Fix), constructs a spaceship (Build), and accompanies the boy on a trip to the moon (Go). Gently and sweetly, the dog morphs from pet to pal to parent figure as, finally safe at home, the obedient canine tucks the boy into bed and reads him a story. Theres no alpha male here, just two genial, respectful, loving creatures. An original premise, a bare-bones text of thirty-two words, perfect picture-book pacing, and deliciously transparent watercolors combine for an emotional punch. By the time we read Stay for a second time at storys end, we recognize that its not a command but a quiet and poignant request. sarah ellis January/February 2019 p 83(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 boy and his dog share experiences at home and out in the wider world, including a trip to another planet.The unnamed boy has light skin and golden hair in the same shade as his faithful companion, a midsized dog with beady eyes and a round nose like his owner. At first the boy is in charge, apparently giving the dog traditional commands such as "Sit" and "Stay." The dog becomes more of a peer as he begins to stand on two legs and act like a human, cooking and eating dinner and helping sail a boat to a mysterious island. The pair build a rocket ship and fly to another planet, where they speak to some ETs before flying back home. A satisfying conclusion finds the dog reading and singing with the boy at bedtime before a reprise of the commandor is it a request, or simply a description of the action?"Stay," and the concluding words, "Good boy." The final double-page spread shows the pair tucked in bed, two good boys asleep together. The story unfolds entirely in one- or two-word phrases that can be interpreted as commands to the dog or as succinct summations of the action depicted on each page. Soft-focus watercolor-and-ink illustrations in subdued shades convey a dreamy atmosphere that makes the unfettered lives of this pair believable.The bond between the golden-haired duo is quietly conveyed with an imaginative charm that deepens on subsequent readings. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
