Review by Booklist Review
At the newly reopened Perfect Pets store, first featured in The Barnabus Project (2020), the last toy Barnaby--"half mouse and half elephant, with just a dash of flamingo"--sits on the shelf, unsold. He's finally chosen by a young girl, and soon enjoying his new life, including playtime, walks, bedtime stories, and watching the Barnaby and Friends cartoon, always together with his companion. But one Saturday there's an ad for a Rainbow Barnaby: the girl is excited, but Barnaby? Not so much, and he becomes increasingly neglected--and dejected. Hoping she'll notice, Barnaby decides to leave, but once he's alone in the city, he gets lost. Then a journey begins, and he meets friendly, also-forgotten Perfect Pets, has a run-in with a snooty Rainbow Barnaby, and is taken in by kind squirrels in the park. Over time, memories of his little girl fade, until an unexpected encounter brings a happy reunion, not to mention a few realizations about what Barnaby truly values. Vibrant, intricately rendered mixed-media illustrations expressively depict small, cute Barnaby and the other fanciful creatures, which are in playful contrast to their real-world setting, and extend the descriptive narrative with engaging background details. In this delightful take on the classic toys-come-to-life story, the text and art--and Barnaby--will surely charm while conveying a reassuring message of the value of being appreciated for who you are.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
