The Puppy Problem (The Daily Bark #1)

Dogs run the show in this canine-themed chapter book from James (the Adventures of Pug series), a series starter. When urban dachshund Gizmo moves to the small town of Puddle, he isn’t sure what to make of the new locale, but a friendly neighboring Irish wolfhound, Jilly, makes him feel welcome. When Jilly worriedly reveals that her four gray pups are going to be sold, the friends head into the village to see if they can find local homes for the pooches, an outing that gives Gizmo a chance to meet the village’s other quirky mutts, who are comically styled after humans. With the clock counting down to the whelps’ sale, Gizmo saves the day, brilliantly taking inspiration from his pink-skinned journalist owner, and creating a newspaper bulletin about the dilemma. But even with a resolution to the puppy problem, there’s still one mystery in need of solving, and the book concludes on a warmhearted note that promises more adventures for Puddle’s canine community. Employing a dialogue-driven approach, James explores themes of friendship and community with carefully articulated emotion, while Alder’s (Doggo and Pupper) appealing broad-stroked color drawings play up the humorous aspects of Gizmo’s clumsy attempts to get in step with village life. Ages 7–10. (Jan.)