Hondo & Fabian

This amiable wisp of a tale offers quiet contrasts between the action-packed day of Hondo the dog (who goes out for adventures in the car and on the beach) and that of Fabian the cat (who stays home and plays with the baby). Reader Jeff Brooks makes the most of this minimalist narrative. He reads with enthusiasm and differentiates the personalities of the two animals, but mostly his job is to provide a warmly agreeable backdrop for the soft, simple pictures in the book, and he does that job well. Quiet music rounds out this production, which is meant for the littlest listeners. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Starred review from February 25, 2002
An amiable showcase for McCarty's (Little Bunny on the Move) distinctive pencil art, this day-in-the-life tale centers on a dog and cat who live with a family, the only member of which readers see is a cherubic toddler referred to as "the baby." The plot is not long on action: pooch Hondo climbs into the family car (its vintage sets the tale in the 1930s or '40s) and travels to the beach, where he romps with a canine pal. Feline Fabian stays at home "to play with the baby." As the dogs "dive in the waves," the cat "dives for the door" (trying to escape the youngster's clutches). These quiet contrasts end with the winding down of the day: the dog's return, when he and the cat eat dinner from their respective bowls and, "full and fat," retire to their favorite resting spots. The minimalist narrative sets off the richness of the pictures, viewed as if through a scrim. Colors soften to a candlelit palette, enhancing the warm, nostalgic mood for an effect at once ingenuous and sophisticated. Ages 3-9.