Dog on a Digger

In this debut, British artist Prendergast's pencil drawings don't jump out at viewers; they're shaded in a midrange of grays with bolder yellow tints. Yet her wordless story rewards close inspection. A shorthaired dog lives in a trailer with its owner on a construction site. The first panels establish intimacy between the two as the dog leaps into the owner's bed to wake him. The owner, who operates a digger, climbs into the cabin, and the dog hops up next to him. After a morning's work, the site's canteen worker introduces her small pup to the operator and his dog. While the humans talk, the pup runs off, and the operator's dog soon alerts them to trouble: the pup is trapped out of the humans' reach. The dog gives the operator the idea of using the digger to rescue the terrified pup, and dramatic spreads follow the successful rescue. The circumstances are just plausible enough to be intriguing, and Prendergast adds further realism to her story by portraying the operator and his dog with naturalistic, expressive detail. The story, with its satisfying, almost documentary feel, might become a bedtime favorite. Ages 4-6. (May)

PreS-Gr 2--In this wordless picture book, there is canine drama and suspense on the construction site. A mixture of panels and full-page illustrations relay the action, beginning with the early morning routine of an amiable white dog and his human companion. Donning yellow safety vests, man and dog climb into the cab of an excavator and get to work hauling, digging and lifting. At break time, they have a snack and enjoy the company of the convenience stand owner and her little shaggy pup. When the puppy suddenly goes missing and becomes trapped over a canal, the older dog heroically springs into action, alerting the humans and figuring out a clever rescue plan. Realistic pencil illustrations alternate between close-up scenes that capture the nuanced body language of the animals, and panoramic views of the entire construction site. The black-and-white pages are enlivened with splashes of sunny yellow that accent the big rigs and hard hats and also signify the urgent barks of distress. VERDICT This compelling, detailed story will invite and inspire close inspection and lively storytelling.--Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont.