“Does Mr. Portly like dogs?” asks the cashier. “Well, Zander Portly can be quite persnickety, but I’m sure he will,” says Mrs. Portly, “once he gets used to the idea.” Thus begins the adventure of a five-dollar puppy named Snack, purchased by Mrs. Portly when her husband, an art collector, is away. But Mr. Portly is persnickety beyond measure and has rules about rules—especially about a small, sweet dog like Snack, who loves Mrs. P. and is loved back. Alas, his return almost spells the end of the relationship until the personable pup saves the day in a rather clichéd ending: He chases a thief who has stolen a goodly number of paintings—and recovers them. The upscale couple seems very real, as does good dog Snack. A stronger story would have emerged with fewer words, because Davenier’s lively watercolors carry and advance the narrative. They come alive with every brushstroke, allowing pup and people to walk off the page. Many wags and woofs for the art but fewer for the wordy text and predictable ending. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-374-35089-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2009
Totes adorbs.
A cuddly, squishy pug’s puggy-wuggy diary.
Equipped with both #pugunicorn and #pughotdog outfits, pug Baron von Bubbles (aka Bub) is the kind of dog that always dresses to impress. Bub also makes lots of memorable faces, such as the “Hey, you’re not the boss of me!” expression aimed at Duchess, the snooty pink house cat. Some of Bub’s favorite things include skateboarding, a favorite teddy, and eating peanut butter. Bub also loves Bella, who adopted Bub from a fair—it was “love at first sniff.” Together, Bub and Bella do a lot of arts and crafts. Their latest project: entering Bella’s school’s inventor challenge by making a super-duper awesome rocket. But, when the pesky neighborhood squirrel, Nutz, makes off with Bub’s bear, Bub accidentally ruins their project. How will they win the contest? More importantly, how will Bella ever forgive him? May’s cutesy, full-color cartoon art sets the tone for this pug-tastic romp for the new-to–chapter-books crowd. Emojilike faces accentuate Bub’s already expressive character design. Bub’s infectious first-person narration pushes the silly factor off the charts. In addition to creating the look and feel of a diary, the lined paper helps readers follow the eight-chapter story. Most pages have fewer than five sentences, often broken into smaller sections. Additional text appears in color-coded speech bubbles. Bella presents white.
Totes adorbs. (Fiction. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-53003-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
In an unusual twist on the school field trip theme, a second-grade boy named Sam manages to take the class hamster along on a visit to the science museum. The hamster, George Washington by name, has the distinguishing trait of frequent sneezing, which proves critically important when George Washington is dropped into the museum’s hamster display and must be retrieved. Lots of humorous details add to this mid-level easy reader’s appeal, and the story will be enjoyed by newly independent readers as well as serving as a read-aloud in any classroom (or home) with a hamster as a pet. Carter’s expressive watercolor illustrations help bring the kids in room 75 and their furry pet to life. (Easy reader. 5-8)
Pub Date: July 1, 2005
ISBN: 0-06-000734-6
Page Count: 64
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2005
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