GOOD DOG, PAW!

A day at the vet is rendered in song by a cheerful, personable spaniel. Paw’s owner, April, is a vet, and Paw is a willing beneficiary of her expertise. Blooming with health, he rides on her scooter to the clinic, where he sits in the waiting room dispensing medical advice. To Salami, a basset with a tummy-ache, he sings, “Two pills a day will chase / those worms away!” The accompanying vignette pictures Paw serenading Salami with a soulful “woooolffuuuuu.” Naïve colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations, many set against a background of antiseptic-looking graph paper, depict a rather globular black-and-white Paw, his mouth a tiny “o” as he emits hand-lettered onomatopoetic howls. Lee’s simple, present-tense text allows Paw’s self-confident voice to ring out, both in consultation with patients and in celebration of his wonderful owner. There isn’t much of a plot here, but Paw does see a grand variety of small animals with ailments, and everyone goes home happy. In the end, it’s a sweetly endearing affirmation of April and Paw’s basic tenet: “The secret of health is love.” Who can argue with that? (Picture book. 3-6)