Three

K-Gr 2–Three, a homeless three-legged dog, is a true optimist. “When the sun was shining, he was warm. If it rained all day, he felt clean…and his waggly tail kept him well fed.” Despite having no one to care for him, Three makes do of his situation by admiring creatures of varying leg counts: a six leg bug, an eight leg spider, all the while having empathy for the fact that living in the city could be dangerous for beings like them. As he ventures out to the country, Three finds himself on a farm with various farm animals and a little girl named Fern, who is white, and has a big imagination. “Fern also talked to herself, and talked with the trees, and talked to the…garden.” Three appreciates Fern’s kindness to all living things and agrees to stay and live with the girl and her family forever. Pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations depict people of different races walking down the street and in the background of scenes.