Katie and the Puppy Next Door

February 15, 2013
A jaunty hound learns to share and play nicely with her next-door-neighbor dog in this sequel to Katie Loves the Kittens (2008). This time, Katie has to learn to get along with Ruby, a boisterous dachshund new to the neighborhood. When Ruby comes over for visits, her pushy personality is in full display, as she steals Katie's toys and food and the attention of the three kittens Katie considers her special friends. Gradually, Katie and Ruby work through their issues and become friends, concluding with a charming, wordless final page that portrays the two dogs and three kittens curled up together on Katie's dog bed. The text is rather wordy and too often tells rather than shows what is developing between the two dogs, but the animated illustrations in watercolor and pencil elevate the text with depictions of the spirited encounters between the two dogs and the kittens. Readers see Katie shake with frustration and sigh with resignation, with the letters s-i-g-h cleverly spelled out on the carpet in front of her. Katie's emotions are amusingly on display as she learns to grin and bear it, with touching results as Ruby becomes her friend. Katie and Ruby and their kitty friends enjoy themselves; young readers will enjoy them too. (Picture book. 3-6)

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February 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-Katie, the dog introduced in Katie Loves the Kittens (Holt, 2008), is not happy when Sara Ann's friend brings her dog along for a visit. Ruby eats Katie's food, chews her toys, and plays with her feline friends. Katie doesn't want to share, but she changes her mind when she realizes that Sara Ann is unhappy with her rude behavior. The next time Ruby visits, Katie grumbles, but she doesn't interfere with Ruby's fun. When her guest initiates a game of tug-of-war with Katie's favorite toy, Katie realizes she can be happy sharing. Himmelman's pencil and watercolor illustrations were rendered in soft blues, greens, and purples. Emotions are expressed through the pictures, and sound words appear in different colors and fonts. Children who are possessive of their belongings may see themselves in Katie.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2013
Preschool-K Katie is a spotted terrier, perfectly happy at home with her young owner, Sara Ann, and the three cats who also reside there. Then a new neighbor, Elizabeth, comes over with a fat dachshund named Ruby. In the blink of an eye, Ruby is playing with the cats, eating Katie's kibble, even chewing Katie's squeaky bone. Katie is beside herself: The cats are MY friends, not hers! Sara Ann explains the concept of sharing to Katie, who, good dog that she is, tries to ignore Ruby's breaches the next time the dog comes over. Finally, unable to hold in her feelings a moment longer, she grabs the chewy bone. A tug-of-war ensues that leads to friendship and proves maybe sharing makes sense after all. Many children will enjoy this at a surface level, but some will make the connection about sharing incidents in their own lives. Either way, this is a simple yet effective story enhanced by pen-and-watercolor illustrations that have the right blend of humor and pathos.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)