Pet Dad

March 5, 2018
What’s a little girl to do when her dad says no to getting a pet? Improvise. Luckily, Plum’s lanky father—whose white skin and ashen hair contrast with Plum’s dark features —plays along in the role of dog. “Plum adores her new pet. She rubs his tummy. She scratches his ears. She names him Schnitzel!” Though he’s briefly willing to let Plum walk him on a leash (his tie), his compliance is short-lived—especially when it comes to rolling over, fetching, or doing his “business” on newspaper. Allen blends measured white space with fine, textured patterns, while Plum’s commands and her father’s refusals (“ ‘Sit!’ ‘Heck no,’ he barks”) appear in bright orange lettering. Allen nails the dynamic between an accommodating father and a sometimes bossy child, while hinting that the best father-daughter relationships are built on mutual love and respect. Ages 3–5.

April 1, 2018
A little girl who desperately wants a pet and a dad who most definitely does not find some common ground.Plum is a little girl who never takes no for an answer. So when her dad says no to a pet, she gets herself a pet dad. With dad's tie as a leash, Plum struts out with her new pet, but when she tries to train "Schnitzel," she runs into some snags. "Roll over" is met with a "No." He doesn't want to eat yard waste (which she thinks is pretty close to his kale and quinoa), and he does his business reading the paper, not on it. At the park, Plum's efforts are further thwarted until some "free time" (a timeout) leads her to the answer: Her pet needs a reward. And what do pet dads like? "No + Hug = Yes!" "And from that day forward, Plum and her pet enjoy many years of friendship and love." Allen's pen-and-ink illustrations with digital color use a palette of dusky blue, orange, and lime green to marvelous effect. Plum is a light-brown-skinned girl with black, scribbly hair barely contained in two braids. Her determination is writ large in her every posture and facial expression. Her dad has pale skin and a shock of white hair. A clever lesson in manners wrapped in an imaginative, tongue-in-cheek tale of father/dog-daughter bonding. (Picture book. 3-8)

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May 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-Plum is a little girl who desperately wants a pet despite her father's adamant refusal. She has no choice but to get a pet dad. She rubs his tummy, scratches behind his ears, and even names him Schnitzel. But Schnitzel (aka Dad) doesn't always roll over when she says to or fetch when she throws the ball. Plum quickly discovers it isn't easy caring for a pet grown-up. He barks, "Heck No," when she tells him to sit. Allen's pencil-and-ink drawings are detailed but leave plenty of white space that gives the book a fresh, breezy feel. The bright color of a few key objects like Plum's sweatshirt and Dad's tie stand out against a faded background of greenish grays. VERDICT A funny and irreverent take on books about pets and not being allowed to have one that is sure to be popular in general collections. Plum and her pet will be a storytime hit at Father's Day and all year round.-Hillary Perelyubskiy, Los Angeles Public Library

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