Here, George!

Readers are let in on a secret in this story of a white dog that appears to spend much of his time perched on his knobby haunches and staring. When George’s family calls to him—“Here, George!”—George stays perfectly still: “George does not move.” After watching “the man and the lady and the child drive away” (they never appear on the page) and taking a nap, George perks up at the sound of distant music. Unexpectedly, “now George is dancing. And dancing. And dancing.” Once George’s family comes home and calls out to him, Boynton and Booth return to the previous formula: “George does not move, except for his happy tail.” New Yorker cartoonist Booth demonstrates his keen sense of the comedy to be found in contrast, as George goes from being nonresponsive and glum to kicking up his heels when no one is watching. Ages 1–5. (May)