FICTION

Who Cares!

Who Cares! tr. from German by Aisha Prigann & Jimena Licitra. illus. by Barbara Steinitz. 26p. Cuento de Luz. Mar. 2019. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9788416733347. Spanish edition ISBN 9788416733330.
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PreS-Gr 2—A humorous story about difference and acceptance. Most dogs look like their owners, or is it the other way around? Whimsical illustrations portray the pairings. A cyclist and his greyhound are fast and skinny, an old lady and her Pekingese have the same long face and outfit, and even the neighbor's bull terrier is as mild-mannered as his owner. But Leonora's dog Fidelio is not like her at all. While she's heavy and dresses in blue, he's scrawny and red. They both love opera, and they are happy all the time. But people laugh and point at their differences when they are out and about. Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Carmelo, who is thin and dressed in red, and his big and blue dog Pistachia are the object of the same ridicule, yet they are content together. Circumstances bring the foursome together, and they decide to switch dogs. Now they are physically matched, but no one is happy. Eventually they all come together and enjoy everything together, and when people say they look ridiculous, they simply think, "Who cares!" First published in German, the book is now being published simultaneously in both English and Spanish. The Spanish version is just as charming as the English one.
VERDICT Use as a lighthearted vehicle to start a conversation on differences and self-acceptance.

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