NOBODY LIKES ME!

PLB 0-7358-1055-9 Buddy is the new dog on the block, a chartreuse pudge-ball of immense visual appeal. His problem is that he can’t make any friends; every creature in the vicinity—mouse to sheep, cats, rabbits, and even other dogs—either leaves him, glowers at him, or chases him off. Buddy, reduced to tears, is approached by a sympathetic fox. When Buddy relates that nobody seems to like him, the fox suggests he ask why, a question that demands courage. The fox accompanies Buddy on his friendship quest, and, as in Mike McClintock’s classic A Fly Went By (1958), it turns out to be a case of mistaken intentions—the cats thought Buddy was going to attack them, the sheep thought he was going to herd them, and so forth. Once things get straightened out, they all become friends. Krischanitz’s message—that making that second effort is fraught with emotional landmines, but might be worth the effort—is a noble one, and that it was recommended by a fox will give it the seal of approval with children. The artwork is stellar, a feast of highly expressive imagery. (Picture book. 4-7)