Murphy's Three Homes: A Story for Children in Foster Care
PreSchool-Grade 1—Murphy is a puppy that blatantly represents a child in foster care. He is a Tibetan Terrier, a dog that is supposed to bring good luck, but when he is moved from home to home, he assumes that it is his fault and that other pups must be "good luck dogs." When the humans from his third home love him even when he disobeys the rules, he moves beyond his insecurity and realizes that he was wrong to think of himself as bad luck. Murphy's understanding of the human world is inconsistent from scene to scene. The denouement, for example, hinges on his fear of what he describes as a large, noisy gathering at his home. Without any interim explanation, however, he is impressed that his owner "left her party" to look for him. The oversimplification of the adjustment to a loving home does foster children a disservice. The writing is average, at best, with some noticeably stilted phrases, and is accompanied by rather static illustrations that range from spot art to full-page pictures. A lengthy note to caregivers follows the story, which could be useful to adults who are new to foster children's unique psychological needs. However, for children who need books on this topic, recommend Janell Cannon'sStellaluna(Houghton, 1993), especially if the child's permanency plan calls for a return home.—Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, ILEND--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.