Found

In this wordless tale about a child who learns to love a new dog, a girl gazes out her apartment window on a rainy day and spots something below. A page turn reveals what she sees: a puppy wading miserably through a puddle. As the girl brings it inside, she pauses to gaze at a bedside photo that shows her hugging another dog; a “Missing” poster on her bulletin board reveals that dog’s destiny. Despite a tough moment when the new hound takes up her lost dog’s red ball, she shares an existing dog bed and food dish with the newcomer—only to find, on a trip to the pet shop, that this pup is “Missing,” too. The girl not only allows herself to love but also understands that her love isn’t as important as what this pup needs most. The pair’s all-too-brief idyll is gently and memorably drawn, and the girl’s independence in a big city—there are no parents in sight—allows focus on her interior journey and genuinely noble decision. Ages 4–8. [em](Nov.) [/em]