THE DOG WHO LOVED RED

Raja, an Indian family’s dog, chews everything that’s red: shawl, shoes and socks, and he and his friend, Champ (a Dalmatian), love playing with a red ball. When the ball becomes lost, he goes in hot pursuit, asking the gray pigeons and the orange kitten. He spies his red ball in Mr. Mehta’s backyard, but Mr. Mehta hates dogs—he always turns his blue hose on them. But Raja bravely slips under the violet gate, leaps onto the green cooler, slides under the silver car and gets it! When Raja returns home, he is covered with brown mud, pink netting, blue cloth and a peach sock from the assortment of colored objects he encounters in making his escape. His reward as a hero? A bath! The bright illustrations highlight each color cited, but they appear cramped on the pages. Moreover, the scratchy typeface often becomes lost against the backgrounds when it is placed over illustrations. There are better picture books on color than this Indian import—the Caldecott Honor–winning Red Sings from Treetops, by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski (2009), and the ebullient I Ain't Gonna Paint No More, by Karen Beaumont and illustrated by David Catrow (2005), being just two. The only thing going for it is the Indian setting and names, as well as the endearing way sausage-dog Raja wags his tail. (Picture book. 4-7)