I Got a New Friend

Starred review from March 1, 2017
A little girl finds out how much she has in common with her new puppy.A squat brown-skinned tot, with springy brown ringlets--to match her basset hound's floppy ears--is presented with a new puppy. "I got a new friend," the narrator declares. Is the girl or the puppy telling this story? It very well could be either. "She's kind of shy" (both the gal and the pup peer timidly at each other), ."..but she got used to me" (now both are all smiles). She can be naughty, messy, even stinky (requisite bathroom scene for storytime giggles), but she always needs lots of kisses. The cheerfully ingenuous text places the two in a comfortable, middle-class setting: there is a yard to play in, an easy chair to plant muddy foot- and pawprints on, and a sturdy yellow bed to jump on. Edwards' figures have the lovable solidity of Charles Schulz's, the girl with a round, slightly outsized head and both with infectious smiles. In the end, Edwards seems to clear up all narratorial ambiguity: "She can be a lot of work, but I love her. / She's my little girl!" (Both the girl and pup are entangled in a hug.) But of course, the puppy could be a girl, too. One will never know--but discussion possibilities abound. A spread of further friendship tips appears on the rear endpapers. The book seems set up to explore a new pet relationship, yet it works on any friendship level and perhaps even a new-sibling introduction. Totally, infectiously ebullient. (Picture book. 3-6)

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February 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-A little girl and a tiny puppy make friends in this sweet picture book about adopting a pet. Though girl and dog are initially a little nervous, they quickly bond. The concise, cheery text, told in first person and presented in a large font ("She gets lost...and found! Sometimes she gets dirty and needs a bath."), gently explains what to expect when a newcomer joins the household: lots of playtime, a little mess, and plenty of hugs and kisses-in short, a lot of work but just as many rewards. The ending contains a bit of a twist (hint: readers may be surprised to discover who's narrating); many spreads will provoke giggles upon rereads. Rendered in pencil and watercolor and digitally refined, the illustrations are cartoonlike and sweet, though never cloying, with copious white space. With thick black outlines and a simple palette, the images have an appealing solidity to them. The curly-haired, brown-skinned little girl and the large-eared, spotted puppy make an adorable pair as they learn what it means to gain a new companion. The final spread contains tips on how to take care of a new friend ("Hug," "Help each other," "Keep clean").

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