Dalmartian: A Mars Rover’s Story

This picture book romp by Cummins (Our Pool) opens in a suburban backyard with a team of interplanetary explorers who look—per the titular pun—startlingly like green-spotted dalmatians. When they take off in their spaceship, leaving one behind, pink-skinned human child Stephen treats the alien dog on his doorstep as any human guardian might, offering sleeping space on the floor and dog chow in a bowl. The bipedal-walking guest, however, refuses these indignities. He prefers sharing Stephen’s bed, turns up a nose at the dog food (though he welcomes bacon), and unclips the proffered leash and collar in disgust. The behavior of canines at the dog park, who relieve themselves in public, appalls him: “They made their business everybody’s business!” Stephen’s easy, open manner (he boasts about puking twice after riding the Tilt-A-Whirl), and willingness to meet his new friend halfway cement a deep bond that becomes a profound dilemma when the spaceship returns. Spontaneous-feeling ink and charcoal line drawings, digitally finished, give the spreads plenty of terrestrial humor as the pages suggest that the satisfaction of human companionship offers life as a dog on Earth ample rewards. Ages 4–8. Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Jr./Folio Literary. (May)