BITTLE

Yaccarino’s rubbery, boldly distinct figures reflect the vim and humor in this pets’-eye view of a new baby’s homecoming. Nigel and Julia—a cat and a dog, respectively—are dubious at first about the new family member heralded by tiny socks and booties and a cage-like construction that Nigel declares is a crib. “The man painted a small room pale green. ‘The color of mold,’ said Nigel.” Yaccarino’s perspectives (dog and cat close-ups through bars, baby being by far the biggest thing on the page) help shift the focus from intruder to companion as the four-legged pals “work” at taking care of the baby, sharing her cast-off food, and teaching her to howl. Over time, after adjusting to different sleep habits, even Julia warms to the toddler—whose first words turn out to be “woof” and “meow.” Fans of Madeleine L’Engle’s The Other Dog (2001) or Peter McCarty’s more sardonic Hondo and Fabian (2002) will howl—with laughter—along with this closely knit interspecies trio. (Picture book. 6-8)