Charlie the Ranch Dog: Charlie's New Friend (I Can Read Book 1)
This adaptation of a story from the author’s Charlie the Ranch Dog (2011) into a beginning reader retains the beaglecentric tale and offers a truly engaging experience for emerging readers. The new friend in the subtitle is a pesky rabbit, from whom Charlie knows he needs to protect the garden produce. But in an elegant twist on the typical farmer-versus-wildlife plot, they reach a truce that can serve as a springboard for discussions of cooperation and negotiation. Instead of the illustrations merely repeating the text—or vice versa—deGroat provides additional elements to the story in her gently colored and humorously expressive pictures, and Drummond’s text narrates Charlie’s doggie thought process. Wide landscapes, big blue skies, and a cozy kitchen garden make for a gentle setting to this lightly silly tale. It’s as much fun as Jane O’Connor’s Fancy Nancy series, and the outdoor setting and animal theme will have broad appeal. Grades K-2. --Francisca Goldsmith