The Best Flower Ever

Comparison proves the thief of joy in this tale from Hudson (Turtle in a Tree) about a sweet-natured dog learning to nurture their own “best” thing. An enthusiastic pooch sporting a red gingham bandana can’t wait to show off the beautiful, lovely-smelling potted flower they hold in their paws. But though a chihuahua-like acquaintance in a natty blue sweater is admiring, they’ve got a flower of their own to share—one that’s much bigger (“That is... humongous”) and grows in a fancier pot (“I bejeweled it myself”). Soon, a passel of pups engage in an escalating game of can-you-top-this, each boasting via colored speech bubbles about their respective blooms’ magnificent qualities (“My flower potty trained the cat!”). But when a moment of one-upmanship results in a mishap for the protagonist’s plant, the whole canine crew pulls together to cultivate the special varietal, honoring the protagonist’s own crushed flower—and feelings. Hudson’s delicate watercolor and colored pencil art populates a sunny green meadow with exceedingly expressive pups, as well as birds and a frog who regard the goings-on. The mix of sly and silly, which captures the dynamics of a visually detailed dog community and includes a couple of late-arc gags, is just right to elicit laughs. Ages 3–7. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (June)