I Can See Clearly Now...! Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg

ONE DAY ARLO COULDN'T PLAY CATCH ANY MORE.

EVERY TIME I THREW THE BALL....

IT BOPPED HIM ON THE NOSE!

Arlo and his owner have a problem! This pooch can't seem to follow the ball! It flies right by him, zooms over him, or bonks him on the snoot every time. Arlo has somehow lost his edge.

So it's off to the doggy eye doctor for Arlo, where he tries to read the fuzzy eye chart. Yep, Arlo's vision needs a little help all right. The doc peers into his eyes and then rolls out his phoropter to see what sort of correction Arlo needs. Then it's off to try out some cool canine frame styles--mad scientist, Hollywood superstar, or superhero?

None of the above. Arlo sniffs out the top-doggiest style of all, with cute little bone-cutout accents, and soon he's playing catch with the best of the canines again.

As author-illustrator Barry Saltzberg walks the reader through the eye exam process, the fun is in the clever, cleverer, and cleverest design aspects of his brand-new Arlo Needs Glasses (Workman, 2012). In sturdy board-book format, Saltzman offers charming pastel illustrations of Arlo, with pull-tabs, fold outs, pop-ups and other movable, hands-on delights on almost every page. Kids can use a pull-tab to reveal the blurry, Arlo's-eye-view version of the eyechart as Arlo sees it, peer through the accordion-foldout phoropter to read ARLO NEEDS GLASSES!, pop up Arlo's head upon which to try out the open-up doggy glasses, which they can pull from their colorful "cases" and place on Arlo's face to see how he looks in each. It's a book which begs to be played with, just like Arlo!

Kids who don't even need glasses will want to wear Arlo's movie star or superhero styles, and kids who do will see the whole eye exam process in a new light after sharing with the awesome Arlo!

The Clothes Make the Dog: Zorro Gets An Outfit by Carter Goodrich

THE DAY BEGAN LIKE ANY OTHER FOR ZORRO AND MR. BUD. THEY HAD THEIR BISCUITS AND WERE READY FOR THEIR WALK.

BUT THERE WAS A DELAY.

"ZORRO, WE HAVE GOT A SURPRISE FOR YOU! YOU HAVE YOUR VERY OWN OUTFIT!"

His very own outfit is something no dog ever wants.

Little Zorro is not exactly a swashbuckling figure in that midnight blue cloak and cowl. And he knows it.

Unfortunately the other neighborhood dogs get the ironic humor in his costume, too.

"HEY, WONDER DOG!" EDDIE AND THE BOYS LAUGH. "FLY AROUND!"

Mr. Bud tries to distract poor Zorro with their daily chase of Slim, the pesky local cat, but this pug is too discomfited to even look at Slim, who yowls in derision at Zorro's costume from atop his trash can.

Chewing sticks and chasing in the park have no appeal, either.

Zorro is the victim of peer pressure. Portly pugs in caped costumes just aren't cool.

But then a dashing, flashing new figure appears on the scene. He's the fastest thing on four legs! He's a fearless Frisbee catcher! The other mutts in the dog park are agog as the dynamic Dart dashes across the green. This newcomer is definitely a top dog if there ever was one. And. . . he is wearing an outfit!

Nattily attired in a oh-so-French striped sailor's shirt and sassy bandanna, Dart is definitely a style-setter. And as all the dogs look on, jaws dropped in amazed silence, his gaze falls on Zorro.

"HEY! COOL OUTFIT! LET'S RACE!"

Any kid who has ever had to go out in public in uncool clothes their mother made them wear knows exactly how little Zorro feels in Carter Goodrich's just-published Zorro Gets an Outfit (Simon & Schuster, 2012). As in his hilarious first book, Say Hello to Zorro! (see my review here) Goodrich's simple but telling text and the hyper-expressive facial expressions and body language of his two dog buddies tell the tale. Set off in a carefully chosen palette and eye-catching line against bright white backgrounds, Goodrich's appealing illustrations make this one a ready read-aloud or an accessible self-reader for the early grades. Costumed in a cape or just himself, Zorro is definitely the dog of the day.

Sub Chefs: Martha Bakes A Cake adapted by Karen Barss and Raye Lankford

HELEN IS FEELING DOWN IN THE DUMPS.

HER DRAWING DID NOT WIN THE ART CONTEST.

Wanting to do something to cheer Helen up, Mom starts to make her a cake, but then a phone call brings a rush order at work, and Mom has to dash off, leaving Martha and Skits alone and wondering how to finish the job.

Dogs may be best friends, but they are not ideally suited for baking cakes. Martha and Skits bone up on the process by watching a DVD on cake making. Now they wag their tails and get busy. First, they must assemble ingredients.

Skits grabs a milk carton from the fridge with his teeth, but the resulting holes just cause a leak all over the floor. He tries to get out a carton of eggs with the same result. The two dogs head over to neighbor Mrs. Parkinson's house to borrow more eggs, this time holding one a each gingerly in their mouths.

MARTHA AND SKITS WALK HOME HOLDING THE EGGS.

A SQUIRREL RUNS BY.

BOTH DOGS DROP THEIR EGGS TO BARK. (OOPS!)

"BUMMER" SAYS MARTHA.

Mrs. Parkinson pitches in, loading Martha's wagon with new supplies. But back at home the dogs have a little trouble with the mixing process.

IF ONLY I HAD THUMBS..." MARTHA MUSES.

Everything winds up spilled on the floor. But without paws, er, pause for reconsideration of this project, the dogs happily mix the batter with their paws on the floor, inadvertently incorporating a few extrinsic ingredients--eggshells, dog hair, and assorted fluff from the carpet--into the mix. Grabbing Martha's dog bowl for a baking container, they remember one little culinary item they've forgotten: they have to bake the cake, which involves getting it into and out of the oven, again sans thumbs. Martha solves that problem by calling on Howie the mailman to put the cake in and phoning a pizza delivery man to arrive just in time to take it out. Just as Skits and Martha are admiring their "cake," cooling on the counter, Mom and Helen arrive home from school.

"SURPRISE!" SAYS MARTHA."

In the latest addition to this Martha Speaks Green Light Readers series, Helen's blue mood becomes history, in Susan Meddaugh and company's latest, a canine kitchen caper titled Martha Speaks: Martha Bakes a Cake Reader (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). There's even a recipe appended for "Yummy Chocolate Cake" for young readers to try, this one without eggshells and dog hair!

Best In Show! Carl At the Dog Show by Alexandra Day

"WE'RE GOING TO THE DOG SHOW TODAY TO WATCH VALERIE AND CARL'S BROTHER GAMBLE."

Everyone's favorite Rottweiler Carl has a brother in show biz, and it's off to the big dog show downtown for Mom, little Madeleine, and their trusty companion dog Carl.

Once inside the convocation center, it's a mass of dogs and dog people, all busy with their various tasks--psyching up their dogs, grooming their dogs, and for the vendors of canine paraphernalia, plying their wares. Mom tells her two charges that she must help Valerie prepare Gamble for his big moment in the limelight and blithely sends them off into the crowd with instructions to meet her at the show ring in time for Gamble's event.

"DON'T GET INTO ANY TROUBLE!" SHE WARNS.

As we knew they would, Madeleine climbs onto Carl's broad back and Carl carries her off to find fun on the show floor. The two watch all sorts of dogs getting prettied up for their performance in the ring and they try out some doggy bathing equipment for themselves. Carl and Madeleine even take a turn through the tunnel in the dog agility course while the expert border collie looks on a bit scornfully. Among the vendors' stands, Madeleine is entranced by the variety of co-costumes for dogs and owners, trying out a Goldilocks wig on poor Carl while she contemplates a bear mask for herself. As always, the fun arises from the up-close look at the secret adventures of little Madeleine and Carl while the unsuspecting Mom is busy elsewhere

Finally, Carl remembers their orders from Mom, and with an anxious look sets out, Madeleine again on his back, in a cross-country canine derby, leaping over any dogs in his path, until they appear solemnly at ringside just in time for Gamble's big event.

There are plenty of winners at this dog show--Longest Dog, Best Frisbee Catcher, Smallest Dog--but Carl is, of course, a shoo-in for Best Babysitter in anybody's book, and in Alexandra Day's latest book, Carl at the Dog Show (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012), Carl again earns his blue ribbon. Day also offers hours of fun for youngsters by supplying a three-page appendix of thumbnail illustrations of the breeds portrayed on the pages of this book so that young readers can backtrack and spy them all out among the illustrations after the story is done. Horn Book's reviewer points out what makes perusing the detailed and realistic pictures in these full-scale picture books so much fun: “Each spread offers much to look at in itself and rewards close attention, as when we see a small dog curiously nosing a toy on a sales rack only to be politely given the toy by Carl on the next page.”

Puppy Treat: Marley: A Thanksgiving to Remember by John Grogan

MARLEY WAS SO EXITED!

TODAY THE FAMILY WOULD PREPARE A HUGE THANKSGIVING FEAST. THERE WOULD BE MANY DELICIOUS THINGS TO EAT.

MARLEY COULD HARDLY WAIT.

But after seeing the mess and mayhem the excitable puppy has made of Christmas and Halloween preparations, maybe the Grogans should have opted for dinner at Grandma's this year. But the Grogans, as we know, are either eternal optimists or lacking a bit in short-term memory, and so, with little Marley in the middle of everything, they forge on to procure and prepare their family feast.

The best-selling John Grogan's newest, Marley: A Thanksgiving to Remember (Harper Festival, 2011), features this unflappable family in a new flap book entry.a design device which turns Thanksgiving morning into a game of hide-and-seek, to the delight of Cassie and Baby Louie.

First, Cassie has to find Marley's leash, hidden under the pup's turkey chew toy, and then all the Grogans stop everything to look for the car keys (under the doormat flap) and Mom's all-important grocery list (in the laundry basket), courtesy, of course, of Marley. They get no further than the car when Baby Louis misses his blankie, but this time it's Marley to the rescue, and when the front door flap is opened, Marley has it all ready for him, as if he knew Louie couldn't go anywhere without it.

Back home, there's a search for the bag of stuffing mix, hiding in the pantry with guilty parties Baby Louie and Marley. Marley continues his "help" right up to the point where the table is finally loaded with the feast and the family begins the ritual of telling each other what they are most thankful for.

"PUPPY!" SAID BABY LOUIE.

With the exception of the cover illustration (Marley doesn't actually stick a foot in the mashed potatoes in the text), artists Richard Cowdry and Rick Whipple do a journeyman job of providing lively illustrations for Marley: A Thanksgiving to Remember, and this inexpensive little paperback offers a bit of flap book fun which isn't too off-the-mark for families with a rambunctuous retriever pup determined to "enjoy" every aspect of an exciting holiday.

Roundabout: Maggie's Ball by Lindsay Barrett George

Maggie is a young, big-eyed, lop-eared pup with just one thing in mind--finding someone to throw her yellow ball for her. But then....

SUDDENLY...A MIGHTY WIND BOUNCES HER BALL DOWN THE HILL AND IT ROLLS....

INTO TOWN!

WHERE IS MAGGIE'S BALL?

Downtown it's a whirl of activity. There is The Pizza Shop, T.T.'s Clock Shop, and Campbell's Critters, and The Market. Hey, wait! There is something round and yellow!

IS THAT MAGGIE'S BALL?

No! It's just a round dollop of frosting on the sign advertising cupcakes in the window. Is that round yellow thing over there her ball. No! It's a golden pocket watch on a chain on the vest of the happy man coming out of the clock shop.

IS THAT MAGGIE'S BALL UP THERE?

Nope. That's a pizza on the shop's sign! Suddenly Maggie realizes that there are round shapes everywhere--a circular perch for the parrot inside Campbell's Critters, a goldfish bowl in the window, spots on a slow-moving turtle, a ball of yarn that Kitty is chasing, the gerbil's exercise wheel, apples on a tree, a girl with a hula hoop and a round scoop of lemon ice cream on her cone, a bass drum, and, and, AND.... . How will Maggie ever spot her ball?

What's a sad pup to do?

Then Maggie spies a girl sitting on a bench in the park. And beside her on the ground... there is something round and yellow!

"HELLO, LITTLE DOG. DO YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH ME?"

Early readers, lap sitters, and story circle listeners will love helping Maggie spot that ball at last in Lindsay Barrett George's latest Maggie's Ball (Greenwillow, 2010). For kids learning colors and especially shapes, this one might be called a concept book: there are indeed circle shapes everywhere, all naturally integrated into bright, almost primitive-styled illustrations which are a departure from George's realistic nature pictures in such books as In the Woods: Who's Been Here? (Mulberry books). In this one George's flat primary colors and eye-catching pages show off her versatility and creativity in a book that combines a "do-you-see-it?" plot line with some solid preschool learning, beginning reader practice, and just plain fun.

Kirkus gives it a coveted starred review and says, “A consistent, directional progression of the story, large, easy-to-read type, the challenge of finding the characters and naming the objects and places, and the gentle, sweet ending make Maggie’s adventure a perfect title for young readers, who will want their own pup to play with by tale’s end.”

Hook and Ladder: Firehouse! by Mark Teague

EDWARD WANTED TO BE A FIREFIGHTER.

ONE DAY HE AND JUDY VISITED A FIREHOUSE.

Author-illustrator Mark Teague's brief text deadpans its way through the narrative, while his bright oil-color illustrations tell the tale with boisterous portrayals of his awkward but appealing bulldog hero Edward in his latest, Firehouse! (Orchard Books, 2010). Edward is a doughty, Edwardian-togged Boston bull terrier, a bit on the clumsy side, but persistent in his dogged pursuit of his latest fancy. In Teague's first book about this pair, Funny Farm, Edward mucks about as visiting farmhand with country cousin Judy's family, excelling only in putting away Judy's hardy farm fare. In this newest one, Edward inexplicably decides that he's cut out to be a firefigher--with mixed but amusing results.

Edward and Judy are welcomed to spend the day at the firehouse presided over by a team of brave Dalmatians, who share their duties with them, beginning with washing the firetruck. "A clean engine is a happy engine," the leader intones seriously, as Edward drifts into a fantasy of racing to a fire at the wheel of the truck. During a tour of the living quarters, the alarm sounds for a fire drill, and Edward's attempt to slide deftly down the firepole end with a sound thud on his backside.

Undeterred, Edward tries to take a hand in the drill, but clearly he's got a long way to go in mastering the skills of firefighting. When Judy opens the fire hydrant, Edward manages to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets quite a dousing. Handling the business end of a thrashing fire hose is not his strong suit either, and in the simulated ladder climb, he gets a bit of altophobia and undergoes the embarrassing experience of the fireman's carry over the shoulder of a burly firefighter on his way down.

Back at the firehouse, Edward shows off his best skill as he tucks into the firehouse cook's spaghetti and meatballs like the devoted eater he is. Just as he's slurped down his dinner, the real alarm goes off and Edward, Judy, and the whole crew don their slickers and race off, sirens blaring. At the end of the run, there's no fire, just a helpless kitty stuck way out on a high limb.

"WHO WILL SAVE HER?" ASKS A FIREFIGHTER.

"LET ME!!" EDWARD VOLUNTEERS.

And the dauntless bulldog, fortified by drill practice and plenty of spaghetti, clambers right up the ladder and brings the little cat to safety, and the successful rescue sets off a parade of celebration back to the firehouse.

Then it's bedtime at the firehouse and Edward sleeps the sleep of the righteous firefighter that night, with the rescued kitten at his side.

Teague, creator of the hilarious and best-selling Ike LaRue tales, beginning with Dear Mrs. La Rue: Letters From Obedience School and familiar illustrator of Jane Yolen's highly popular How Do Dinosaurs series, has created in this one and its predecessor Funny Farm, a couple of funny stories with a lovable and memorable character just perfect for preschool and Kindergarten classes preparing for those favorite field trips to farms and firehouses. As usual, Teague fills his pages with humorous touches which add to storytime appeal, in this case mouse firemen in full uniform, slickers and firehats, appear throughout the story and will delight sharp-eyed kids who follow their antics throughout. With his childlike enthusiasm and enduring and endearing pluck, Edward is a delightful character that children who have always wanted to ring the bell or slide down the firepole will identify with and love.

Larry Bites the Big Apple: Larry Gets Lost in New York City by Michael Mullin

THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR TRAIN TRACKS ON THE SURFACE, SO THE FAMILY BOUGHT TICKETS AND WENT UNDERGROUND.

FROM THE TRAIN LARRY LUNGED FOR A TRIANGLE-SHAPED SNACK.

QUITE SURE HE COULD EAT IT IN TIME TO GET BACK, HE GRABBED IT AND CHOMPED, SENDING CHEESE INTO THE AIR.

THEN LARRY HEARD A LOUD WHOOOOOOSH! AND SAW PETE WASN'T THERE!

Larry, the lop-eared pup who has an uncanny knack for getting himself lost in big cities, is at it again, this time dashing through the subway door to retrieve a dropped pizza slice from the platform, only to hear the automated door close and watch the subway, with Pete peering mournfully out the back window, recede into the tunnel.

But Larry is a plucky pooch, and he sets out to find Pete in the wilds of Manhattan, in the course of which young readers are taken on a guided tour of the iconic sights of New York City. Lost Larry races through Grand Central Station, the United Nations flag court, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square, the Metropolitan Museum, MOMA, Yankee Station, and all the those famous scenes, as Pete and family pursue him uptown and downtown, until at last the wayward canine catches a lucky break, a sympathetic face among the madding Manhattan masses:

HE SAW A YOUNG GIRL TYING HER LACES.

LARRY GAVE HER ONE OF HIS "I'M LOST. HELP ME!" FACES.

HER MOM PATTED HIS HEAD AND CHECKED HIS ID.

"NOW I'LL FIND PETE." LARRY THOUGHT. "LUCKY ME!"

AND FIND HIM HE DID.

Larry's happy-go-lucky owners never seem to learn that they should leash Larry or leave him at home when they vacation, but Larry's temporary loss is our gain, giving us the opportunity to see the sights of big cities, and Michael Mullin's latest, Larry Gets Lost in New York City, (Sasquatch Books, 2010) is a wonderful beginner's tour of the Big Apple. Larry travels in almost every known form of transport, from yellow taxicabs to the Staten Island Ferry and hits all the hot spots for out-of-town tourists, with informational sidebars on most pages adding the fascinating facts about each place. The lost-dog adventure ties together the travelogue in a plot which goes down well for early elementary readers, while artist John Skews provides the reader with a pup's-eye view of the Empire City which provides the opportunity for a variety of perspectives which add visual interest to the 1950s-style watercolored drawings of those familiar New York vistas. For families planning to take in the big city or for early elementary classes studying New York as an archetype of urban areas, this large-format picture book has the goods on Gotham City.

Other books in the "lost Larry" series include Larry Gets Lost in San Francisco, Larry Gets Lost in Los Angeles, Larry Gets Lost in Chicago, and Larry Gets Lost in Seattle. Maybe the series finale for this one will be Larry Gets a GPS! 'Till then it's a treat to take in the major metropolises with Larry.

Croc-o-smiles! Lyle Walks the Dogs by Bernard Waber

LYLE THE CROCODILE HAS A JOB.

A BRAND-NEW JOB.

LYLE'S JOB IS WALKING DOGS.

IT IS A VERY GOOD JOB FOR LYLE BECAUSE LYLE LOVES DOGS.

AND HE LOVES TO WALK.

Lyle the Crocodile is back, and when he strolls out the door of the house on East 88th Street, he has a big crocodile smile on his face, on his way to pick up his first charge--a dog named Frisky. Frisky is, well, frisky, and Lyle has to shift out of his usual measured steps and into skipping gear. But that's no problem. Lyle loves skipping.

But over the next nine days, Lyle adds a new dog's leash each day to his capable hands, and each dog brings his or her own challenge. Morris is even friskier, but Pokey, on the other hand, is always lagging behind. Rosie is big and loves to stop and greet every bird, bug, or child along the street. Snappy, on the other hand, is a yappy, snappish mutt, and Tulip is so shy she hides under the couch when it's time for a walk. Scrappy is quirky, dashing ahead and then sitting down and refusing to continue their stately progress down the sidewalks.

And then, on day ten, Lyle adds Sniffy to his job list. Sniffy has a nose for trouble, and when he startles a squirrel, all ten dogs--with poor Lyle in tow--are off to the Squirreltown races. Lyle hangs on gallantly until the squirrel makes his escape.

ARE ALL OF THE DOGS HERE?

LET'S COUNT THEM AND SEE.

THEY ARE ALL HERE. SAFE, WELL--AND THIRSTY.

GOOD DOGS!

The return of Bernard Waber's Lyle the Crocodile is a welcome treat. Waber's droll and unflappable hero, one who has delighted generations of children since his debut in 1975 in The House on East 88th Street, last seen in Lyle at Christmas (Lyle the Crocodile) (Houghton Mifflin, 2003), is back in his beloved cityscape in Waber's forthcoming Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: Lyle Walks the Dogs (Houghton Mifflin, May, 2010). In his latest, a 1-10 counting book, great for counting tots or beginning readers, children gets to count Lyle's growing pack of pooches, each one with his own quirky personality. And Lyle, of course, as always is up to his duties, although, on the last page, Waber depicts that competent crocodile, smile intact, gladly resting in his welcome easy chair--with a quiet CAT on his lap.

GOOD JOB, LYLE!

Do What Dogs Do! Yip! Snap! Yap! by Charles Fuge

Bark along with rowdy dog. . .
WOOF! WOOF! RRUFF!

Then turn the page and join more pups
As they do doggy stuff!

Greedy dogs gulp, sleepy dogs snore, itchy dogs scritch scratch, guard dogs growl, hot dogs slurp and lap, and puppies howl AROOOOO! at the moon.

Charles Fuge's brand-new Yip! Snap! Yap! (Sterling, 2010) shows all kinds of dogs--Boston terriers, dachshunds, bull terriers, and bloodhounds, to name a few--doing all those things that dogs do so well in this engagingly illustrated little board book for young dog lovers. The text is minimal, but the vibrant and lively canine characters are all as cute as a speckled pup! Bright enough for the lap-sit crowd and easy enough for the beginning reader, this one is just a doggone good romp through canine quarters.

Not Snowed In: Carl's Snowy Afternoon by Alexandra Day

"We're going to the Pond Party with the Parkers. Amy will stay with you. There's a snack in your room."

And with that brief farewell, the parents are off for some pre-Yuletide merriment with their friends. As they walk down the snow-covered walkway, they admit to just a bit of concern:

"I hope that that new sitter is reliable."

"Well, Carl's there...."

And indeed that resourceful Rottweiler is on the job. Helping to bundle up his charge in snowsuit, boots, scarf, and cap, Carl and the girl steal downstairs and tiptoe past the television-absorbed teenaged sitter and, escaping quietly through the dog door, are soon outside enjoying the pre-Christmas scene.

There is plenty of do. Carl and the girl help a family finish their snow family and snow dog, and then make the rounds of the sledding hill and ice-skating pond, trying out each sport to their delight. Carl sneaks a couple of weiners from the local hot dog stand and the two relish their guilty pleasures while dodging their strolling parents who are heading for a cup of cocoa before returning home. That's Carl's cue to herd his charge toward home, but not before she commandeers a carrot from a snowman's nose to offer to a not-too-bashful bunny.

Back at the house, the two slip through the bedroom window, where Carl helps the girl skin out of her wet snowsuit and places it carefully in the hamper, so that when Mom returns and checks on the adventuresome two, they are sitting innocently on the floor playing with a toy rabbit. All unaware of their elicit outing, Mom cheerfully greets them, oblivious to the irony of her words:

"Did you have a nice time? Tomorrow you can go out and play in the snow."

Fans of Carl the reliable babysitter will have to have this latest in Alexandra Day's series, Carl's Snowy Afternoon (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2009), beautifully illustrated as always, and bound to bring a giggle from youngsters who envy those secret adventures with that adventurous and remarkable Rottweiler.

Odd Couple: Dog and Bear: Two's Company by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

The literary pantheon of unlikely Best Friends Forever has a new pairing. Introduced in her award-winning book Dog and Bear (Neal Porter Books) (Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner-Best Picture Book) (Awards)) introduced the odd couple of a sedate and sensible patchwork toy bear named Bear and a bouncy and impetuous young dachshund called, naturally, Dog.

Seeger's new installment in their story is Dog and Bear: Two's Company (Neal Porter Books). In this worthy sequel Seeger shows the two friends experiencing some of the stresses and strains of a close relationship that will be familiar to both very young children and old married couples.

In the first story, "Ice Cream," Dog is clearly ready to throw in the towel on the relationship:

"I am very angry with you, Bear. I am running away."

"All right, Dog, go ahead."

Bear responds temperately as Dog begins packing his valise--first with his bones and then with his beloved sticks.

"I am packing all my toys," Dog states emphatically.

"Of course you are," observes Bear. "Don't forget this one," he adds seriously, handing him his stuffed monkey.

"I am packing each and every one of my books," adds Dog, adding his copies of Lassie, 101 Dalmatians, and A Dog's Life to the stack.

"Goodbye, Dog. I suppose you won't be able to stay for ice cream."

Of course, Dog finds that he has time to stay for "just a bit" and the two sit down to savor their reconciliation and their ice cream.

In the second story, "Happy Birthday, Bear!" we see dog taking two layers from the oven and building an elaborate surprise birthday cake for Bear, complete with strawberry frosting with rainbow sprinkles and a fat red candle in the middle. "This has to be the most delicious birthday cake ever!" he says. As dog admires his work, we realize that he can scarcely bear to share it even with the birthday bear. When Dog yields to the temptation to take just a taste, we are also not surprised when he eats it all, leaving nothing on the plate but the candle and a few crumbs and stray sprinkles. Just then Bear enters the scene and Dog realizes what he has done. But before he can begin to apologize, Bear takes it all in and cries delightedly, "Oh, Dog, what a beautiful candle!"

In the third story "Sweet Dreams" Dog lies lethargically on his favorite braided rug, just a bit under the weather. "Oh, my, is there anything I could do to help? asks the solicitous Bear. Dog orders first a cup of tea, then a biscuit, a book, his fuzzy slippers, a pillow, and finally his favorite red blanket. At last the weary Bear sinks down into his chair for a rest. "Oh, Bear, are you all right? the suddenly perceptive Dog asks. "Yes, Dog, I just need to rest for a moment."

In a telling wordless two-page spread, we see the tired Bear closing his eyes and Dog covering him gently with the red blanket and a "Sweet dreams, my friend."

Simple, easy-to-read text and homey, loose brushstroke outlines make this story comfortable and cozy, easily accessible to young readers in their artless simplicity, while the understated depth of feeling between the two disparate friends speaks right to the heart. Dog and Bear are a pair like Pooh and Piglet or Frog and Toad, friends who go together like two jigsaw pieces, their differences complementing each other to form a special whole. Let's hope Laura Vaccaro Seeger has more such gentle stories of Dog and Bear to come.

Careful What You Wish For! The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems

"Do you know what I want? What I've wanted forever?
At least since last Tuesday. A PUPPY!"

In Mo Willems' latest The Pigeon Wants a Puppy Pigeon, that eternal optimist who believes a pigeon can drive a bus as well as anyone, has a new craving--a puppy.

This is not to say that Pigeon's expectations of dog ownership are exactly, um, realistic.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll take care of it.
I'll water it once a month."

Pigeon makes his case for puppy ownership in his own peculiar pigeon logic. He points out that he plans to spend a lot of time with his puppy--riding piggyback and playing tennis with him. "I want a puppy RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!" he exclaims, threatening a toddler-type tantrum.

Reality, however, intrudes upon Pigeon's persuasive oration, in the form of an actual DOG with an actual "WOOF WOOF." Pigeon is taken aback at the towering figure.

"It's HUGE!
The teeth. The hair!
That wet nose! The slobber! The claws!
I mentioned the TEETH, right?"

Proclaiming that he's changed his mind about puppies, Pigeon hot-foots it off the page as the dog pursues him with a friendly lick. Never one to dwell on lost dreams, Pigeon adjusts his desires with a quick declaration.

"I want a WALRUS!"

Beginning with his Caldecott Honor book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Willem's Pigeon stories are really parables for toddlers, with Pigeon portraying the opinionated youngster who wants what he wants when he wants it. The droll illustrations, in this latest book executed against pink and lavender page stock, are highly stylized but simple line drawings which capture the essence of the subject in a few deft strokes. Other books in this easy-to-read picture book series are Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!, The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too!, The Pigeon Loves Things That Go! and The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!

Mo Willems' honors this year include a Caldecott Honor award for Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, reviewed here , and his Theodore Seuss Geisel Award book There Is a Bird On Your Head! (Elephant and Piggie) reviewed in my post here.