Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Buzz is a dog who lives in a beautiful house, with healthy food to eat, and daily walks.  He always stays on his leash, does his business where he is supposed to, and doesn’t interact with the less well-behaved dogs at the park.  He is such a good boy. But sometimes Buzz feels the pressure of living up to his well-bred ancestors, and he occasionally finds himself wishing he were someone else.  One day, after being cooped up for a whole rainy week, Buzz throws himself into a puddle. His horrified owner immediately takes him to the Good Boy pet groomer. Buzz is cleaned up again, but his taste of freedom has changed him.  While his owner pays, Buzz sneaks out the door and heads back to the park, where he does all the things that have always been forbidden to him. On the way out, he sees lost dog posters everywhere with his face on them. “Uh-oh! Buzz should have known this wouldn’t last…Or will it?”  48 pages; grades K-2.

Pros:  So much to think about in this seemingly simple book.  Will Buzz return to his home or embrace freedom? This could start some discussions about what makes pets (and people) happy.  Pair it with Peter Brown’s Mr. Tiger Goes Wild for a story hour filled with existential soul searching.

Cons:  Kids might be disturbed that the well-cared-for dog doesn’t want to return home.

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Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  When Snail sees some delectable cabbage on the other side of the road, he’s determined to make the perilous journey to get to it.  He slowly moves into the path of an oncoming car, but that proves less of a deterrent than a bunch of impatient ants who yell at Snail to get out of the way.  When rain starts falling, Snail invites them all into his shell for tea, and they become friends. Continuing the journey, Snail is dismayed to discover that he’s turned himself around and is right back where he started.  His new friends save the day, though, and on the last page, everyone gathers for cabbage soup inside the shell.

Pros:  A cute story of friendship and the benefits of being kind to others–even those who may not be so nice initially.

Cons:  That shell seems like it’s a lot bigger on the inside than the outside.

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Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Summary:  “Llewelyn was a collector.  He collected things in jars.”  This young rabbit collects flowers, stones, feathers, and more, keeping them in jars to remind him of “all the wonderful things he had seen and done.”  One night, Llewelyn goes to the beach at sunset, scooping up several jars filled with red water. He gives one to Evelyn, a girl bunny who happens to be there at the same time, and the two become friends.  They collect together, moving to collect “things you might not think would even fit in a jar” like rainbows and the sound of the ocean. Then one day, Evelyn moves away. Llewelyn is terribly lonely, until one night, unable to sleep, he collects a meteor shower in a jar.  He sends it to Evelyn, who reciprocates with her own filled jars. As Llewelyn ventures outside to fill some more jars, he finds a little boy named Max who is eager to help him. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A lovely meditation on memory, friendship, and finding ways to keep in touch across the miles.  The illustrations seem worthy of Caldecott consideration.

Cons:  Being something of a minimalist, it makes me shiver to think of having all those jars around, gathering dust.

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Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary:  “Lily ran and jumped and barked and whimpered and growled and wiggled and wagged and licked and snuggled.  But not now.” A young girl deals with the empty places of losing her dog. Lily’s no longer at the side of her bed when she wakes up.  She’s not at the table, waiting for food to fall on the floor, or at the door, barking at the mailman. She’s not begging to go outside when the girl goes to the park, or waiting eagerly at the door when the girl returns from school.  “The house is full of all the places where Lily isn’t. But here inside me–that’s where Lily is and where she always will be,” the girl concludes, surrounded by the pictures she has drawn of herself and her dog. 32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Anyone who has ever lost a pet will recognize the emptiness in the house that is left behind.  A perfect choice for a young child experiencing that loss.

Cons:  I seem to have forgotten to write any cons, and now I have returned the book to the library.  So Lily gets a pass.

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