Dog and Bear: Two's Company
*Starred Review* Seeger, whose First the Egg (2007) earned 2008 Caldecott and Geisel Honor Book awards, offers a sequel to her ALA Notable Children’s Book honoree Dog and Bear (2007), which introduced a teddy bear and a dachshund who are very good friends. The three-part sequel opens with Dog declaring, “I am very angry with you, Bear. I am running away.” Supportive Bear helps Dog pack and says good-bye before offering ice cream that brings them together again. Next, Dog makes a cake for Bear’s birthday but eats it, bit by bit. In the final tale, after attentively caring for tired Dog, Bear is so worn out that Dog returns the favor. Natural-sounding conversations are well matched with the artwork’s bold lines and bright colors. Picture books about friends are common, and Seeger makes it all look deceptively simple. But besides the clear, simple story lines, the joy of these picture books is in the subtle way the pictures and text work together to evoke emotions familiar even to young children. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan