Skinny Brown Dog
Kindergarten-Grade 3—Benny the polar bear has a bakery. Once a week he puts up a sign that says, "Free Broken Cookies Day" and the "children"—a squirrel, a hedgehog, and a bird—love to stop for a treat. One day a bowler-wearing "skinny brown dog" with white markings enters the shop. Benny immediately tells him that "dogs aren't allowed in my bakery" but gives him some food. The illustrations, which vary in size, show a pup who oozes personality as he politely removes his hat before returning a dropped purse to Mrs. Patterson the elephant. When she compliments the baker on his smart dog, Benny replies, "He's not my dog," and she winks knowingly at Brownie as he hangs out outside the bakery. Sure enough, Benny begins to imagine Brownie lying by the fireplace in his home. Acrylic paint, gouache, watercolors, and color pencil in somewhat muted tones give a realistic, weather-beaten look to buildings, and expressive faces and postures bring the characters to life. The polar bear is wearing a white chef's hat and coat, yet the white shades are distinctive, and the animals' clothing is patterned and colorful. At the end of the story, a new sign is posted proclaiming "everyone welcome." This is a well-crafted picture book that children will appreciate; they are most likely to pick up on the theme of exclusion and enjoy the humorous details and happy ending.—Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.