MEET ZADE!

A young boy takes care of a new puppy in this debut illustrated children’s book.

Zade is one of several puppies born on a ranch. When Zade is 8 weeks old, he is adopted by pale-skinned Connor and his family, who live in a city. The city is very different from the ranch, and Zade must learn new rules in dealing with this human family. Zade also has to learn to behave around Connor’s diverse friends. But Connor helps his pals know the right signals to give Zade to become his friend and to keep him from jumping up. Connor also learns a lot about all the care that Zade needs and how even though the boy is a canine owner, he should “never approach a strange dog—that can be dangerous.” Eliason and Copeland, both canine trainers, introduce characters and concepts in simple language, focusing particularly on drawing connections between puppies’ feelings and kids’ emotions: “Puppies are just as nervous about changes as little children.” In this series opener, the authors acknowledge Zade’s feelings—that he will miss his parents—without making leaving the ranch seem traumatic since clearly the puppy loves his new family. Sections of the accessible text are broken down by topic, allowing young readers easy stopping points to pause and digest the information. Darley’s sweet illustrations of children are reminiscent of the style of the Precious Moments Company, and some of the pooches evoke Gustaf Tenggren’s classic Poky Little Puppy. A Utah artist, Darley gives the simple line and color paintings depth and action that capture the enthusiasm of a puppy. Some images show moments not explained in the text—a poodle is depicted by a doghouse, and pictures of Connor or Zade with balls are featured. But the dog training techniques Darley portrays, particularly the posture to keep a canine from jumping, are incredibly helpful.

For preschoolers preparing to become dog owners, this tale offers a valuable introduction.