A PACK OF YOUR OWN

A lonely dog yearns to fit in with a pack of local canines.

While looking out the window with a cup of coffee, a long tan dog clad in a bathrobe reflects that it must feel nice to be part of a group. Unfortunately, our hero feels like an outlier; unlike the narrator, none of the others walk on two legs or enjoy crosswords, coffee, and vintage sticks. Plus, they sniff each other’s bottoms in a way the narrator finds distasteful. After a visit to the park fails to yield friendship, the protagonist stops to admire some fancy hats in a window and is spotted by a fluffy white poodle who also walks on two legs. This excitable new pal knocks on the narrator’s door and asks to come in, leading to an exchange of hobbies and interests that leaves them both giddy. While the theme of searching for friendship is a classic one, this Swedish import brings a fresh wry humor to the subject (one of the ways the narrator differs from other dogs is the use of a toilet, like a human). The simplicity of Thore’s writing allows the intensity of the narrator’s emotions to shine. Grayscale pencil illustrations with limited touches of color have plenty of fine details that reward repeated reading.

A charming ode to the joy of new friendship.