LUCKY DOGS

While preparing for a move, Ruth begins fostering dogs.

Ruth and her mom are a few months away from moving when they attend a pet adoption fair and learn about fostering, which means taking care of dogs “until they find a forever family.” With admirable kindness, Ruth brings home a traumatized puppy named Ginger and cuddles him to sleep. As Ruth helps Ginger open up, she relates to his feelings with questions of her own: “What if I don’t make new friends when we move?” After Ginger finds a home, Ruth fosters an older dog named Daisy who loves napping; a tender scene shows them taking a break by a sun-dappled riverside. Next is Cody, a dog with broken hind legs who uses a wheelchair. Ruth puts in extra effort trying to find him a family. When another girl finally adopts Cody, Ruth holds back tears but later feels hopeful when she spots a child walking a different dog on the street outside her new house—is that a pair of new pals? Overall, this is a gentle, affirming story of a child relying on a love of animals to cope with complicated feelings. With its soft colors and cheerful cartoon faces, the artwork depicts a soothing urban environment. Ruth and her mother are light-skinned; their community is diverse.

A light, encouraging introduction to pup-fostering.