Julian

This picture book reads more like a dog's biography than fiction. The female narrator tells of her once-peaceful life on a farm with her two cats Victoria and Rocky Rainbow. Because the groundhogs were eating all the vegetables, she acquired a dog, named Julian, to chase them. But Julian chased everything: groundhogs, the cats, even his owner's car down bumpy roads. After nearly drowning in a well, Julian became more docile, but he still chased the cats. Only when one cat was lost (and Julian tracked him down) did the narrator's life once again become serene. Khalsa ( Tales of a Gambling Grandma , My Family Vacation ) expands her perspective in this newest book. In her other titles, each picture is like a portrait of a particular moment; in this one, the action unwinds across the top of a spread and then hurls back along the bottom. Her colors and patterns, as usual, are boldly harmonious--strong images overlap and collide, creating surprising images of exceptional verve. Ages 6-8. (Sept.)