The Dog’s Gardener

Told from the perspective of a medium-size, floppy-eared dog named Dutch, this quiet narrative follows a variegated pup who watches its beloved human, a slender, pale redhead, garden on the tree-lined property during “the bright time of the year.” Each morning, Dutch looks forward to its owner’s “beautiful words”: “Okay, Dutch. Let’s go outside.” Storms effectively imagines Dutch’s canine thought processes, including delight in spending time in nature (“While she works, I roll in the dewy grass and breathe in the sweet, rich smells around me”) and playing in the hose spray (“Oh joy!”). Lighthearted prose allows Dion’s expansive art to take center stage: hand-painted gouache textures, combined with digital painting, provide a feast for the eyes, while Impressionist-style florals and an English garden–esque color palette round out each page. An evocative visual story evoking pleasurable outdoor experiences. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)