Review by Booklist Review
Depicted as a dachshund but human in every other way, Charlie always follows the same routine from hopping out of bed in the morning in a certain way to arranging his toys just so at night in hopes of keeping anything terrible from happening. But when a frantic early morning call to come help a friend in need (Hans, a chubby bull terrier, is stuck in a pipe) knocks his routines askew, Charlie's realization that evening that everything turned out fine anyway dispels his anxiety. Milne places her expressively drawn all-animal cast in pleasant suburban surroundings while gently suggesting that when Charlie dares to vary his routine a smidge, what happens may be wonderful rather than terrible. Young readers savvy enough to see that just because nothing bad happens now doesn't mean disaster won't strike later may find Charlie's liberation a bit too quick. Still, this canine storytime companion for Jennifer Black Reinhardt's feline Blue Ethel (2017) could give children whose attachment to daily rituals is more a stage than a symptom a bit of a nudge.--John Peters Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--Charlie is a dachshund who "did everything the same, every day." Successfully repeated tasks like taking three hops out of bed and walking on the same side of a tree make him feel that things will "turn out okay." When he hears that a friend is in trouble, though, he rushes to the scene and saves the day, even though it means he can't complete all of his daily rituals. The dog realizes that things still turned out okay, despite the disruption to his routine. The next morning Charlie decides to complete most of his tasks, but not all of them, and now recognizes that things can still be wonderful. Ink-and-watercolor illustrations depict an appealing cast of animal friends. Charlie's anxiety comes through in his eyes and posture, but there's a lightness to the drawings that softens the stress appropriately. The relative ease with which Charlie solves his problem does not reflect the complex challenges of anxiety-related disorders, but it's not meant to. Instead, the story provides an accessible introduction to how worry can affect the life of a child, or a dachshund. VERDICT An appealing story that can serve as a useful conversation starter for discussions about childhood anxiety and dealing with change.--Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Milne brings "a story of a small dog facing a BIG challenge" in this short and sweet adventure.Charlie is a wiener dog with worries. His daily routines upon waking"One, two threeHop like a flea"and taking the same route around the neighborhood fire hydrant and oak tree help Charlie feel in control of his anxieties. After checking under the bed and behind the curtains and getting his plushies all in a row, Charlie can rest with the ease of knowing that "I REMEMBERED EVERYTHING TODAY, AND THINGS TURNED OUT OK!" But one day, Charlie's routines are thrown for a loop when his friend, the bull terrier Hans, is stuck in a pipe! With his friend in trouble, there is no time to count his plants nor to worry about the proper route through the neighborhood. The event becomes accidental exposure therapy, demonstrating that things can "turn out OK" even when routines do not go to plan. Astute adults may quickly recognize Charlie's daily routine as likely compulsions related to a canine version of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Though compulsions are rarely so easily conquered in real life, the simple story may encourage young readers who have their own habits and patterns in an attempt to ease their worry.Charming; readers will hope for more adventures for Charlie and his friends. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
