Dog and Mouse

In a lackluster story of unexpected friendship, a yellow dog searches the woods for a best friend. A gray mouse offers her assistance, and the two spend several seasons trying to find Dog’s perfect friend, not realizing until the final pages that it is Mouse. Nelson-Schmidt’s bold, blocky images, a mix of large single frames and panel sequences, quietly convey the gentle togetherness of a friendship that doesn’t know it is one. Unfortunately, Nelson-Schmidt’s rhymes are often repetitive, convoluted, and strained (“Mouse loved to help. She was just thrilled./ Helping was her favorite and very best skill!”), saddling the story with a slow pace and heavy-handed message. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)