The Adventures of Kubi

July 15, 2015
A small dog takes readers on a short adventure tour of rural Vietnam. Kubi, a fluffy white dog, lives on a farm in the lowlands. The text is simple-"He had many friends on the farm. He was very happy there"-and a little soupy, but it works thanks to its exotic descriptions as Kubi goes on his morning rounds, greeting the water buffalo, the ducks, and the pigs. It is a watery, tropical world, rich in rivers and rice paddies. During the evening celebration of Tet, Kubi finds a place to sleep away from the noise. Thus begins his adventure, when it turns out he has fallen asleep in a boat, and the next thing he knows, he is out in the delta taking the fish catch to market. Kubi explores the village, spends the night hungry and lonely, gets a meal of fish stew the next morning from a street vendor, manages to cause a minor ruckus, escapes with the aid of a fox terrier by the name of Long, and winds up catching a cyclo ride back to the farm. Kubi's modest adventure has decided charm, from the rich, gay colors of the landscape to the distinctive Vietnamese (or, more generally, Southeast Asian) touches to the sweet faces of the animals. A quietly alluring introduction to the riverside village world of Vietnam. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.