Lucy's Lovey

July 1, 2016
A lost-and-found-again doll brings together the members of a family. Devany takes several spreads to set up Smelly Baby's back story. She is one of the white redhead's 17 dolls, all with similarly interesting monikers and many of color, but she is the titular lovey and also white. She's the only one to sleep on Lucy's bed, and she goes everywhere with the preschooler. And although her name came from her original peppermint smell, it's now fitting for an altogether different reason, especially after Grandma Nell's dog, Stasher, gets hold of her, which is why, on the car trip home, she gets lost while being held out the window to "air," her still-stinky arm the only part Lucy is left holding. Despite her preteen attitude, big sister Ivy is very helpful in trying to help Lucy come to terms with her doll's loss. But then, all too soon it seems, based on the lengthy lead-up, Smelly Baby arrives in the mail along with a letter containing a sentence that may save other lost dolls: "How smart of you to write your name and address on her tummy!" She's also freshly laundered. Lucy and Smelly Baby do their best to rectify that. Denise's vignette and full-page illustrations portray the magical relationship between a young girl and her lovey, and the facial expressions, especially Ivy's, are spot-on. There is no child who won't empathize with Lucy and cheer for her reunion with Smelly Baby. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Lucy has 17 baby dolls, each with a unique name and characteristics. But her favorite of them all is Smelly Baby. Named at first because she smelled like peppermint, the cloth doll grew over time into her name, thanks to Lucy's love and attention. Smelly Baby's odor also earns her the attention of Stasher, Grandma Nell's dog, who steals Smelly Baby, gnaws on her, and covers her in slobber. This is the last straw, and on the way home, while Lucy dangles Smelly Baby out the window so as not to stink up the car, the threads on the doll's arm loosen and Smelly Baby is lost! Replacements aren't the same to Lucy. Fortunately, Smelly Baby is returned, but she is clean, so Lucy turns her attention to loving her doll back into her old self. A story of lost loveys is something that children can relate to. This title follows a similar trajectory as Mo Willems's Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, with the love, loss, and eventual recovery of a beloved toy. While the text is a tad long, it is best suited for one-on-one sharing. The pictures are delightful, some taking up entire pages while other illustrations are juxtaposed with the text. VERDICT Readers will want to pore over the artwork and will enjoy this domestic drama. An additional purchase.-Paige Garrison, Augusta Richmond County Library System, GA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.