Lost Dog (I Like to Read)

In this offbeat I Like to Read title, a butterscotch-colored dog named Pete gets epically lost while driving to his grandmother's house for her birthday. After exiting the highway and finding himself atop a winding mountain road in the middle of nowhere, he asks directions to Mutt Street from a bird in the desert, a book-reading leopard in the jungle, and other animals ("That way" they all respond) in what begins to feel like an actual around-the-world journey. Garland pares the text down to the bare essentials while his sculptural illustrations give the story a surreal quality that is right in step with the quirky nature of Pete's globe-trotting voyage. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 1--Pete, the anthropomorphized dog, is off on a car ride to visit Grandma for her birthday. Hoping to bypass the extremely congested roads, Pete takes a detour. Initially venturing toward what appears to be a major city, he finds himself lost on a mountaintop. Pete asks a local bear for assistance and is erroneously pointed away from Grandma's house. He is no closer to his destination and is forced to ask directions from a bird, big cat, walrus, and flock of penguins. Ultimately, a whale carries Pete and his car back to the city, where a police officer helps Pete find Grandma's house and he hand delivers her gift. The pencil and digital artwork is bright and colorful. VERDICT This slight story is an acceptable addition for larger collections.--Laura Hunter, Mount Laurel Library, NJ