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dePaola, Tomie

Where Are You, Brontë?

48 pp. | Simon | May, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9781534418509 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781534418516 $10.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Barbara McClintock. The title page of this heartfelt story about the death of a pet features an older man, recognizably the late author, gazing down at an empty dog bed. Two wordless illustrations follow: a single page shows dePaola looking small under an expanse of sky as a cloud in the shape of a sleeping dog floats by overhead; next, a double-page spread shows him indoors with a picture of a dog in a heart-shaped frame, the empty dog bed nearby. After this visual preamble signaling loss, dePaola's simple first-person text reflects on life with his beloved pet. In seven sections, all introduced with the titular question (eventually answered), he recalls the early days with Bronte and how their devotion to each other deepened over the pup's twelve years of life. In McClintock's mixed-media art, a pastel color palette, deft line work, and uncluttered compositions pay homage to the beloved author without being derivative. A pleasing variety of spreads, panels, vignettes, and single pages sets the story's pace and keeps young readers engaged. The moment dePaola realizes that Bronte will be "in my heart forever" is illustrated by a full-bleed double-page spread with a Bronte-shaped cloud frolicking under a rainbow. This sentimental expression of grief may not resonate with all who've lost a pet (or human), but it's comforting. The fact that the author died in 2020 adds another layer of meaning to this satisfying tribute. McClintock's appended illustrator's note adds some personal reflections.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

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