Kate & Pippin

January 2, 2012
A sister-and-brother team document the relationship that develops between a fawn and a Great Dane, Kate. After Isobel Springett rescues the fawn (who she names Pippin) and places her next to Kate, “being a mom to the little deer” comes naturally to the dog. Crisp photographs depict the two animals playing with one another, Pippin being fed sheep’s milk from a bottle, and the deer taking her first tentative steps away from the house. The Springetts stick to the familiar but effective formula of accessible prose and adorable photographs seen in earlier stories of animal kingdom odd couples, such as Owen & Mzee, Tarra & Bella, and Suryia and Roscoe. Ages 4–8.

January 15, 2012
The true story, captured in intimate photos, of an old Great Dane and an abandoned fawn. Awwww. Anthropomorphizing with gusto as he goes, the author places the crying fawn, "certain she had found a new mother," next to the sleeping dog--who is "surprised" upon waking up, but aside from a quick sniff displays no visible reaction to her new companion. Pippin learns to negotiate a milk-bottle nipple and later a set of porch steps and frisks alertly about the photographer's yard. At one point, she wanders into the nearby woods ("Kate and Isobel worried they might never see Pippin again") and back, but grave and grizzled Kate seldom seems to move, aside from a couple of gambols in the grass, or even summon up the energy to open her eyes all the way. Nonetheless, the two plainly enjoy each other's company, and the pictures underscore their closeness at rest or play. Next to a final headshot of the pair (dog and adult deer almost exactly the same size) the narrative properly notes that Pippin is a wild animal "but she and Kate remain the best of friends." Again, awwww. (Picture book. 3-6)

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April 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 3-A Great Dane mothering an abandoned fawn is the heart of this truly delightful photo essay. Left alone in the forest for three days, the young deer is rescued and brought indoors. Enter Kate, a "puppy-less" Great Dane, who takes over for the missing doe. Gradually Pippin learns how to feed from a bottle of sheep's milk and play with her surrogate mother. As she grows, she begins to separate herself from Kate. She no longer sleeps inside, preferring to spend nights in the forest, reappearing every morning to be fed. Pretty soon Pippin's spots disappear. Eventually she is the same size as Kate. She can forage for her food. Readers learn that while Pippin enjoys the friendship of Kate and Henry the cat, she is free to rejoin life in the forest. Large close-up shots of Pippin and Kate document their relationship. The simple text is perfect for young readers and listeners to grasp the experience of the rescue without drama. Pippin doesn't continue to live in the house or become a pet. She returns to the wild as is her destiny. Young animal lovers will also enjoy other true accounts about unusual animal friendships such as Isabella Hatkoff's Owen and Mzee (Scholastic, 2006), Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen's Itsy Bitsy and Teeny Weeny (Sleeping Bear, 2009), and Catherine Thimmesh's Friends (Houghton Harcourt, 2011). A fine addition to nonfiction collections and useful for themed storytimes on friendships.-Nancy Baumann, University of Missouri-Columbia

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2012
Preschool-G Pippin is a fawn abandoned by her mother. When she turns up crying outside the house of photographer Springett, she is brought inside, and it's there she meets Kate, a Great Dane. You can probably guess what happens next, but that doesn't mean your heart won't melt as Kate and Pippin forge a mother-child bond that begins with a lick and a nuzzle. Aside from their growing relationship, not much happens. But the text does explain that though Kate never had pups, her gentle demeanor served both animals well, and it chronicles Pippin's growth as it goes from dependency to a few days disappearance to finally leaving for her natural habitat yet coming back to visit. The gorgeous crisp picturesbeginning with Kate and Pippen side by side and ending with the two animals, almost the same size, in the snoware as tender as the story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)