Who Cares!

Steinitz puts a hyperbolic spin on the notion that dogs resemble their owners in this droll tale set in a town where the maxim is universally true—almost. Slim, angular Fidelio looks nothing (“Not one eensy-weensy bit”) like his owner, plump opera fan Leonora, and the same is true of bulbous Pistachia, whose owner Carmelo, a wiry baker, showers her with chocolate bonbons. The canine-human incongruity is amusingly magnified by the fact that Pistachia’s fur replicates the swirly blue pattern of Leonora’s dress, and Fidelio’s orange plaid coat is identical to the fabric of Carmelo’s suit and cap. Though they pretend not to mind, Leonora and Carmelo are sad when townsfolk “turn up their noses and double over with laughter” at the sight of them with their mismatched pets, and they and their dogs become sadder yet after swapping leashes so they’re in visual synch. Steinitz embellishes her story with, well, waggish depictions of lookalike owner-dog duos, set against a backdrop that combines teal and tawny hues and vintage and contemporary ambiances. But below the book’s lighthearted surface is a resonant message about looking beyond appearances and appreciating differences. Ages 5–8. [em](Mar.) [/em]