Lenore Finds a Friend: A True Story from Bedlam Farm
Two of the canine stars of Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm (2011) return in this gentle true story of interspecies affection. Katz again pulls double-duty as writer and photographer and hooks readers from the first spread: “When Lenore came to Bedlam Farm, she was just a puppy. None of the other animals wanted to be her friend.” This, of course, is paired with a heart-melting shot of a lonely-looking puppy. Katz skillfully uses the repetition of a picture book to continue the story: “The rooster crowed at her. The donkey tried to kick her. The goats just jeered.” The plot soon becomes a three-character struggle between Lenore, the ram she kisses in hopes of making a friend, and border collie Rose, who disapproves of the relationship: “Why would a dog want to be friends with a ram?” Katz’s photos, too, share the compositional traits of a picture book, with characters effectively foregrounded or split off into opposing halves of a frame to signal rumination or opposition. It’s irresistible, of course—small, personal, and heartwarming. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus