Farley Follows His Nose
PreSchool-Grade 2—Johnston and Cruikshank spin a slightly overlong tale of a freshly shampooed, hungry dog that runs off when he is irresistibly drawn to the smell of hot dogs. Gallivanting from place to place as he follows the scent of food, Farley mooches tidbits and affection wherever he can, including from a little boy at a party. As darkness falls, the now-scruffy canine encounters the sobbing boy, who is lost. Following his nose and retracing his steps, Farley leads the child back home and is himself found by his family, who have been out looking for him. The busy ink and watercolor illustrations contain some good action but little change in perspective. While children may be attracted to the goofy and lovable pooch, the episodic story line is thin. Libraries with a plethora of books featuring dogs, including Gene Zion'sHarry the Dirty Dog(HarperCollins, 1956) or Cynthia Rylant'sThe Great Gracie Chase(Scholastic, 2001), may want to pass on this puppy.—Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.