(4) K-3 Translated by Chiara Valentina Segré. Illustrated by Paolo Domeniconi. Gauzy, rather stiff illustrations show a young woman and a black dog sitting, walking, and shopping. The first-person narrator tells how she met Lola and how their first forays into a loud, startling world were scary. Gradually they explore their neighborhood and beyond. The narrator (and the woman's disability) is revealed slowly--emphasizing the strong bond between woman and guide dog. Most readers will be surprised--and moved.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges