A Dog Called Bear

PreS-Gr 2—Lucy is a girl with a single-minded, well-thought-out, and expertly equipped mission: find a dog of her very own. Armed with a book of dog breeds she encounters many animals who audition for the role but fall short of her expectations. The frog, for example, points out that "dogs are licky and barky and smelly." But Lucy only has a shower and the frog's bathing requirements knock him out of the running. Finally, the bear who has been tailing her reveals himself as one of the new breeds "invented recently." Their relationship seems like a perfect match until the strain of cohabitation between a large furry animal and a small, tidy child grow too great and bear runs away. Their reunion over Lucy's "Missing Dog" posters is a sweetly satisfying resolution. Filled with tongue-in-cheek humor for older readers and pleasing thick-lined illustrations, this is an ideal story about adjusting expectations.