MILO AND HIS MAGIC SKATEBOARD

Tanso presents an illustrated children’s story of a spunky French bulldog with a penchant for wearing bandanas.

Canine Milo lives in Milan with his best friend and owner, and he’s very happy. However, the dog is feeling bored one rainy afternoon and decides to use his magic skateboard to pass the time. After gathering some supplies, all Milo has to do is think of where he wants to go, and the skateboard does the rest. Milo first visits Paris; then Zermatt, Switzerland; and then Berlin, but none feel like where he wants to be. London and Barcelona, Spain, don’t seem to fit him either. As it gets later and darker, Milo realizes that he misses his fun best friend who always keeps him calm and safe. He goes back home right away for a loving reunion. The full-color cartoon illustrations, set in various detailed locales, are cute and have a hint of a fantasy feel. Milo is very expressive throughout the story, especially when he’s bored; Milo also effectively models safe behavior by wearing a helmet when skateboarding. A nice touch is that the author includes specific places in each country that Milo visits, such as Berlin’s Tiergarten, which precocious readers can investigate.

A well-illustrated book that teaches that companions are the best part of traveling.