A child walking a pet on a leash evokes strong reactions from passersby in this French Canadian import.People on the street repeatedly point to a banana at the end of the leash, but the child insists that it is, in fact, a dog, exhorting them to see clearly and answering every comment they make. Banana's yellow color indicates a very rare breed. She's too exhausted to move and is well trained not to bark. She's so upset over their comments that she just might bite them if they pet her. She fetches a ball so quickly that no one can see it happen. Annoyed at their laughter and disrespect, the child and Banana walk away in a huff. And then the onlookers are astonished by an incredible surprise twist, perhaps reminded about making snap judgments. Brief, staccato, often highly charged statements are attributed to the child or the commenters via slanted black lines drawn from the characters to their dialogue. Heavy, black-lined heads, faces, and legs form Sagramola's seemingly simple, retro cartoon characters, while their clothed bodies are softly hued blocks of color. The pet owner is of unspecified gender and presents White. The crowd members are of varied gender, racial presentation, age, and color, with facial expressions and body language indicating their escalating reactions to the strange episode. Young readers will laugh in amazement and delight in that unanticipated conclusion.Imaginative, surprising fun. (Picture book. 4-8)

A dog called Banana draws a crowd in Brouillard-s droll dual debut in translation. Wordlessly and humorously, the story opens with a black-haired, white-skinned child holding a leash-at its end is what appears to be a banana. -That-s not a dog,- a passerby shouts. -Open your eyes! Clearly she-s a dog,- the child retorts. Page by page, a crowd grows, questioning, jeering, and teasing. Accompanied by a shih tzu, a person in a shaggy coat comments on Banana-s hairlessness. When another bystander asks to see some tricks, Banana--a three-time gold medalist at the World Dog Competition- -obliges with a game of fetch so quick it-s beyond visual perception. When another child mockingly introduces a -cat-pear,- Banana-s human disdainfully declares the crowd to be ignorant and -ridiculous.- -HA-s fill the page as the misunderstood duo depart, but a final scene that leaves the disbelievers slack-jawed will have readers wondering who was making a mockery of whom. With clean lines and cool colors, Sagramola-s spare illustrations have a mid-century modern aesthetic that-s a fitting partner to the playful story-s simple dialogue and timeless humor. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)