When a strong wind sends Maggie’s ball bouncing away, the floppy-eared pup sets out on a mission. Through the town she traipses to find her beloved yellow ball. Decoys, including a lemon, a pocket watch and a balloon send her scurrying from market to clock shop and, finally, to the park, where the disheartened dog sits unknowingly near her toy. But the journey isn’t without purpose, as a young girl finds the ball, and, what’s more, a friend in Maggie. George effectively communicates Maggie’s physical and emotional journey through multiple perspectives. Close-ups tell of Maggie’s curiosity, dejection and joy, while aerial-like views create a visual roadmap of the town. The artwork’s flatness hints at pre-Renaissance perspective, but the textures and bright palette—done in a water-based medium—conjure Mexican muralism. A consistent, directional progression of the story, large, easy-to-read type, the challenge of finding the characters and naming the objects and places, and the gentle, sweet ending make Maggie’s adventure a perfect title for young readers, who will want their own pup to play with by tale’s end. (Picture book. 2-5)
