Little Puppy and the Big Green Monster

July 1, 2014
Little Puppy's persistence wins him an unexpected friend.When the school bus departs, Little Puppy is left alone with his red ball and without playmates. Initial attempts to engage a man sleeping in a hammock, a group of big dogs and a cat provoke respective comments of "Too lazy. / Too mean! / Too boring." When Little Puppy encounters the eponymous Big Green Monster, it is sitting on a bench reading a book, and even though the big dogs were intimidating, Little Puppy approaches the monster and tries to play hide-and-seek and tag. Undeterred by repeated rebuffs, Little Puppy dogs the monster as it tries to simply have some alone time with its book, and he even follows it back home. Ultimately, the monster softens a bit when Little Puppy licks its face, and the new friends end up curling up together for bedtime snuggles. Throughout, softly sweet, cartoonish illustrations depict the intrepid puppy and the big green monster, both of whom are quite cute in very different ways, with an emphasis on scale; that monster sure is big. Vignettes convey the slapstick of the interactions, while full- and double-page spreads emphasize emotion.This sweet story of new, unusual friendship is sure to elicit plenty of giggles. (Picture book. 2-5)

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August 1, 2014

PreS-K-Delightful depictions of a naive puppy and a grumpy monster drive this story that strikes an emotional chord with very few words. Once the children have departed on the school bus, the pup, now alone, dismisses other potential playmates as being "too lazy," "too mean," and "too boring." Surprisingly, he is not dissuaded from trying to engage a seemingly unapproachable creature. The humor in this story, represented mainly through hilarious illustrations, is based on misinterpretation. The dog, clueless about the monster's true desire to read on a park bench, succeeds in getting the grumpster to play tag and hide and seek. Ultimately, he finds a place in the monster's bed and, of course, in his heart. This book will resonate with any child who has tried to convince an adult to abandon grownup concerns and just enter the world of childhood. Pair it with Suzanne Bloom's A Splendid Friend, Indeed (Boyds Mills, 2005) for discussions about "odd couple" friendships. This sweet story should claim a secure spot on most library shelves.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

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