PreS-Gr 1 Dog is living in a shelter and looking for a home where he will be fed, kept warm, and loved. In the shelter, Dog is well cared for, but he feels lonely until the day a girl comes to adopt him. Using a notebook, Dog colors the events of his journey from when he was found and brought to the shelter, to him learning to live with his adoptive family. Relth's debut makes use of a first-person narration to connect readers with Dog's plight and convey his happiness when he joins a family that loves him. The eloquent digital illustrations use a combination of primary and composite colors, emphasizing shades of brown to represent Dog and the girl. Readers will learn that Dog is happy in his new home where he has toys, food, and his own bed. However, as in any new environment, Dog has to adjust to his new life and learn what is appropriate for a dog and what is not. This title is a great way to help children learn empathy and advocate for adoption of animals living in shelters. VERDICT A hearty picture book whose simple narrative and expressive illustrations will engage young children and help them understand compassion. Kathia Ibacache, Univ. of Colorado Boulder

With crayons and paper, Dog creates a book to show appreciation for the home and best friend that are finally in its life.In the illustrations, readers see Dog's dangerous early life on the streets, the loneliness of the shelter, and the joy of finally having a friend and a home. There are several humorous moments in the story, as when Dog learns what "NOT to chew" and where "NOT to poo," the latter complete with a hand-drawn map indicating locations both in and outside the house. However charming the story might be, though, the opening language poses a logical conundrum. Dog introduces itself and addresses readers in second person, saying: "and I made you this book." From this beginning, the reasonable assumption is that the rest of the book will be directed to readers, as obviously the child who rescued Dog needs no introductions, but things change on the following page. Still in second person, Dog says: "I was lost before we met," which is clearly Dog speaking to the child who found it at the shelter and took it home to become a part of their family. Readers will appreciate the sentiment but wonder just exactly how that "you" happened to shift. The illustrations vary the childlike style of Dog's illustrations and a glossier look for life outside the book. The lucky child has brown skin and brown curly hair; Dog is a genial brown mutt.A sweet story with a rather confused narrator. (Picture book. 4-7)

In Relth-s debut, a rescue mutt takes crayon in paw and creates a combination memoir and tribute for his beloved owner, a tan-skinned girl. On heavily illustrated pages, the dog recounts the adjustment from life on the street (-I roamed around/-hungry, wet, and/ searching for the home/ I-d never found -) to cozy family life: -First I had to find out/ what to chew and NOT to chew// And I learned/ the hard way where to/ poo and NOT to poo!- For the latter lesson, the digitally created cartoon illustrations show the dog examining an elaborate diagram, clearly labeled, -NOT HERE- (the cat, the car) and -YES- (patches of lawn). The girl is a patient teacher, and the duo-s affection is evident as they loll on an idyllic hillside, but the story sags when the narrator thinks of a future when the girl is grown and he is -an old and happy dog/ with fur that-s turning gray.- It-s nostalgia more befitting a grown-up than a child or a canine, but the indelibility of the bond is clear, showing that the classic bumper sticker--Who rescued who?--is the doggone truth. Ages 4-8. Agent: Rick Richter, Aevitas Creative Management. (Sept.)