Stanley's Wild Ride
PreSchool-Grade 1–Stuck in the same backyard day after day, Stanley the dog is bored. Then, he finds a small hole by the fence. Imagine his surprise when, after a long day of digging, he finds himself on the other side, with no leash and no person. He rounds up his canine friends, and they enjoy a night on the town. While admiring the view from a hill, Stanley sees an unfamiliar object. He investigates (it smells like feet) and accidentally takes a wild ride on a skateboard, followed by his pals, who have found assorted vehicles of their own. The adventure ends at Stanley's yard, where he is reunited with his people, who taste sleepy. The story builds slowly, but the ride is worth the wait. The text is smart, comic, and a rollicking good time. Although Stanley and his friends talk to one another, they never lose their essential dogginess: garbage is for eating, cats for chasing, fences for escaping, and everything is for sniffing. Even the ride captures a pup's point of view as he roars down the hill faster than a squirrel! Good pacing builds anticipation at each page turn, and the textured acrylic cartoon illustrations capture the story's energy and humor. Clever details punctuate the art, and the dogs' bodies and faces reflect their joy and excitement. An appealing companion toStanley's Party(Kids Can, 2003).–Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.