WHERE’S WINNIE?

In Hynes’ picture book, a little girl and her dog are separated and reunited.

While on summer vacation, Beth finds a stray puppy, whom she brings home and names Winnie. They spend all their time together, but then it’s time for the girl to go to school, and Winnie doesn’t understand. Believing Beth is lost, the pup escapes the house and starts looking for her, but the outside world is scarier than she expected: “Cars honked, people shouted, and strange smells pulled her along.” Winnie meets a rabbit and a squirrel before spending a rainy night with a family of foxes; meanwhile, Beth returns home and, thinking Winnie is lost, posts missing-puppy posters all over town. Before long, the pair find each other. Hynes’ overall story—girl loses dog, girl finds dog—is uncomplicated, but it’s based on her real-life experience with her own pet (as recounted in back matter). However, the primary appeal of this book lies with Bulba’s pastel-like cartoon illustrations. The art is expressive, with an old-fashioned flair that calls to mind vintage kids’ books; it also uses each page to the fullest, often depicting multipart action sequences in small vignettes.

A simple story, enlivened by wonderful art.