Billie and Bean in the city

Gr 1--3--Kids of all ages know the allure of having a pet. And most of them can anticipate the question parents ask before bringing a pet home: "Are you going to take care of it?" In this delightful story, Billie is responsible for her dog Bean while Mom is out doing laundry. Their apartment and the street scenes around the block are full of sunlight and bright colors; clothing, scoops of ice cream, even the paint on the buildings create a warm setting for their first walk on their own. But after a detour in the park, complete with picking flowers and an encounter with an angry swan, they exit onto a different street and things are suddenly much darker. The people they pass seem shadowy, and even the buildings loom threateningly over Billie and Bean. Readers will be eagerly turning the pages to see if these lovable companions find their way home. Spare text frames the action, while the illustrations offer incredible details to draw the eye. Flowers for sale at a shop include dog roses and catnip, street signs read "Paw Alley" and "Growl Hill," and figures on a crosswalk sign look remarkably like Billie and Bean. VERDICT Youngsters will delight in this tale of responsibility and self-reliance, built with just the right amount of suspense.--Suzanne Costner

A girl and her dog go on an afternoon adventure. Billie, a sturdy, brown-skinned child, and her rotund dog, Bean, set out for a stroll around the block while Mom is off doing laundry. Billie's been out with Bean before--with Mom watching from the window. On her own now, Billie takes in the sights and sounds. As Bean scarfs up a bit of ice cream on the sidewalk, a kindly mother asks Billie her dog's name. When Bean leads the pair into a small park to poo ("Billie has a bag"), they dance among the flowers and trees. But when they leave, the street looks unfamiliar. An aerial view of the city, a sea gull flying by, shows a brightly colored collection of tidy buildings. It's complicated but not entirely scary, but Billie is in tears. Bean sets off with her in tow--and suddenly there is the familiar street and blue doorway and even a banana peel from an earlier scene. The image of the pair back in the cozy apartment, napping, flat out on the floor, is sweet, as is the hug from Mom (who is brown-skinned) when she returns. Hansson has a gift for showing us the world as experienced from the perspective of a small child. Her crisp linework, gentle, bright palette, and matter-of-fact text, translated from Swedish, are delightful, portraying a little one's first forays into independence, joys, fears, and all. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A simple yet wonderfully satisfying escapade. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.