Sterling, Best Dog Ever

June 1, 2018
Is Sterling a dog...or a fork? Or a whisk? Or a lamp? Sterling just wants to find a home and his forever family. When he sneaks into the Butlery Cutlery Company truck and gets delivered along with a bunch of forks to the Gilbert family, they decide to keep him. Sterling is determined to be the best fork ever! But when he notices that this middle-class mixed-race family can eat a whole meal "with just their fingers," he worries they don't need forks. The young, dog-loving girl of the house tries her best to help him be his doggy self, but Sterling cannot lose the idea he must be something else. Colorful, vibrant, and amusing illustrations carry the story, depicting a happy, loving family, with expressive faces on the humans as well as on the small dachshund Sterling. The dark-haired, brown-skinned mother is shown occasionally wearing a salwar kameez, pointing to South Asian heritage. Authentic touches, such as the light-haired, light-skinned father's rumpled clothes and multiple pictures of dogs above the young girl's bed, make the family and house feel friendly and comfortable. This silly story has an important lesson about just being yourself, but it gets hung up in Sterling's shenanigans--the idea of a dog trying to be a fork is just too absurd to move beyond.This well-meaning, amusing story is too much premise and not enough execution. (Picture book. 3-6)

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July 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 2-Sterling, a long, thin, gray dog who vaguely resembles a fork, lives in a box outside a cutlery manufacturer. He's always wanted a home, but has never had much luck in keeping one. This time, he hopes, things will be different. He packages himself up with a box of forks, which is delivered to the Gilbert family. Despite not being what they ordered, the family decides to keep him. Unfortunately, Sterling thinks he is a kitchen utensil, and is determined to be as handy in every way possible. It takes him a while to realize that what the family really wants, is for Sterling to be himself. The author reveals that this story is loosely based on her own childhood experiences with her dachshund, elevating this quirky tale and making it relatable to families with their own odd pet or two, or perhaps even those considering adding a new shelter pet to the household. The vibrant full-bleed illustrations are slightly reminiscent of Berkeley Breathed's Flawed Dogs, and the portrayal of a mixed-race family adds an extra layer to this story. VERDICT This engaging tale of belonging, unconditional love, and acceptance will be a hit at storytimes and for one-on-one sharing.-Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2018
Preschool-G Sterling, a small gray dachshund, has been living in a damp box, unable to find a proper home. When he reads a sign outside of a silverware factory, Now shipping to all the best homes, he knows exactly what he needs to do to find a family. He'll be a fork. Sterling slips into the factory, hides in an outgoing box, and is delivered to the Gilberts?a smiling, mixed-race family?the very next day. His plan is working! Over the next several pages, Sterling's comical efforts to be the perfect fork will get readers laughing (lying straight and still on a napkin, hopping into the dishwasher), especially when it's completely obvious to the Gilberts that he is a dog. As their pup-�obsessed daughter tries to engage him in doggy activities, like taking a walk and playing at the park, Sterling blithely misses the message, until it finally dawns on him that she just wants him to be himself. This darling account of family and acceptance will easily find a place in readers' hearts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)