The Cowboy

March 9, 2015
A sunny beach is the unlikely setting for some cowboy heroics in this sweet-natured I Like to Read book from German author-illustrator Müller. “This is me. My name is Anna. This is my dog. His name is Toto,” announces the narrator, a blonde girl who proceeds to affix Toto with a leash and bandanna (at which point it’s revealed that Toto is actually a pull-toy). Müller’s digital illustrations have the rough, loose feel of pastels as Toto “learn how to swim,” at the beach, briefly appearing to surf on his wheeled base. When a wave carries the toy away, a boy in what Anna previously dismissed as “a very silly cowboy hat” lassos the dog and returns him to his appreciative owner: “ ‘Thank you,’ I say to the boy with the beautiful cowboy hat.” A charming (and appropriate) closing image shows the two children walking off into the sunset together, the young cowboy holding Toto’s leash and Anna swinging his lasso. It’s a gentle and subtly humorous story of finding friends in unexpected places. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from March 1, 2015
In this German import, Little Anna and her dog have an adventure at the beach. Anna loves her dog, Toto. When she takes him to the beach, Toto's scarf matches Anna's skirt and kerchief: red with white polka dots. As Anna heads toward the water, she passes "a boy in a very silly cowboy hat." Readers may feel that Anna is a bit silly herself. Toto is not a live dog but a wooden Dalmatian on wheels that must be pulled by a rope. When Toto "learns to swim," he's dragged out to the deep water by a wave, and Anna is bereft. Luckily, that silly cowboy has more than a hat with him, and Toto is saved, opening the way to friendship. Saturated digital illustrations have a hand-drawn feel that creates a warm, homey atmosphere. The droll storyline respects the young readers who will no doubt chuckle when Toto is subtly revealed to be a beloved toy rather than a real pup. Even the cowboy, whose body and rope are hidden behind the grown-up beachgoers, is a pleasant surprise. His eyes might be concealed beneath that enormous hat, but his good spirit is clear. It's rare to find a real story in a book that brand-new readers can tackle alone-Anna and Toto and the cowboy certainly deliver. (Early reader. 3-5)

March 1, 2015

K-Gr 2-The pictures in this book are so charming and expressive that it would be a shame to overlook it. Unfortunately, the story doesn't quite measure up to the artwork. Anna introduces herself and her dog, explaining that they are going to the beach so Toto can learn to swim. When a dangerous wave carries the pup out too far, it is the child whom Anna had dismissed earlier because of his "silly cowboy hat" who comes to the rescue, realizing that his lasso can be used to bring the dog to safety. Anna does demonstrate the value of recognizing the talents of others and remaining open to new friendships, but overall she is a disappointingly passive protagonist. VERDICT There's much to appreciate in the art, which might compensate for the slight story and make this a justifiable purchase where easy readers with spare text are in demand.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

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