This exploration of a child’s fear of dogs focuses on the main character, Daniel, a boy of four or five whose whistle-in-the-dark mantra is, “I’m the bravest boy of all.” He maintains that he isn’t afraid of dogs; he just doesn’t like them. But through his sister’s teasing comments and from the illustrations, the reader can see that this little boy is clearly scared of any and all dogs. Daniel has to face his fear when his family takes care of an aunt’s dog. During a thunderstorm in the middle of the night, Daniel cares for the terrified dog, overcoming his own fear in the process. This encounter between the frightened boy and the even more frightened dog is sensitively handled, capturing a dog’s ability to win over the heart of a caring human. Day’s illustrations in pen and ink with watercolor wash convey Daniel’s feelings and create a winning personality for the little dog, appropriately named Bandit. (Picture book. 3-6)
