An engaging and very necessary story that shows kids the importance of service dogs.
A service dog takes center stage in Kelly’s story of courage.
The story centers on Andy, the smallest dog of the litter, and the only one of his siblings who hasn’t been adopted. Mischievous but adorable, the puppy finds inspiration in the family’s “Hall of Heroes,” where dogs like him appear to be “bigger,” “stronger,” and “more heroic.” But before he can join their ranks, he must train. Andy’s family prepares him by bringing him into the outside world, where he’s injured by a child on a bicycle. Though his confidence falters, he starts to understand that getting back up makes him “a true hero.” With time, growth, and plenty of food, he gets old enough to attend service dog training school. But after his training, when he’s required to work with someone in a wheelchair, memories of the accident return, and he questions his ability to move forward. After his “person,” Olivia, drops an inhaler, Andy gets a split second to decide whether he’s ready to be a hero. Adapted from a short film of the same name, the story’s prose is endearing and playful, like the protagonist puppy himself. The use of the first-person narrator watching Andy grow up is also a great addition. While the text is packed with this classic charm, the illustrations are overly synthetic, with a hyper-polished, almost AI-rendered quality. Visuals aside, the story serves as a much-needed introduction to the role of service dogs for young readers.
An engaging and very necessary story that shows kids the importance of service dogs.Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781685553432
Page Count: 32
Publisher: The Collective Book Studio
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
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