LITTLE DOG

An abandoned pooch transforms an artist’s bleak perspective. Spurned by strangers, a downtrodden but persevering pup holds on to his hopefulness until a fateful encounter with an artist named Rosa. As a friendship blooms between artist and dog, Rosa realizes that she needs a new palette to reflect the joy she has discovered. A journey out of the town provides the inspiration she needs as the duo explore a countryside bursting with color and life. When Rosa and Little Dog return to town, they discover that the previously somber environs have been revitalized as well. Jahn-Clough’s heavily pigmented paintings effectively reflect the shifting emotional elements of the tale as the artist and dog make the journey from desolation to joy. But while an effective allegory for the illuminative possibilities of love and friendship, the foreboding nature of the illustrations, combined with the simplicity of the text, make this an awkward fit for either very young or older readers. (Picture book. 4-8)