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32 pp.
| Cicada
| October, 2020
|
Trade
ISBN 978-1-908714-78-7
$14.95
(
2)
PS
Spare text and chunky art with heavy black lines tell the story of a man and his new dog getting to know each other. When the narrator meets Scruff, waiting alone among a wall of empty cages in the shelter, he declares him "perfect" and adopts him. "No one wanted him because he was scruffy. But I'm a scruffy guy, so that suited me just fine." In a surprise twist, Scruff's new owner discovers that Scruff finds more pleasure in a bath than in rolling around outside playing with other dogs. Before long they find themselves embarking on a number of personal hygiene and grooming treatments, from new hairstyles to manicures. White backgrounds and bright colors within the loose linework create simple layouts for showcasing humor and expressions as the two characters' new looks evolve. By the end they have found their way into a dog show, where they take a surprisingly appropriate prize--showing that while a lot has changed since these two met, some things have not changed at all.
Reviewer:
Julie Roach
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2021