Diego Domínguez from A Gift from Papá Diego
(1998) returns in this bilingual sequel that sees the boy’s family gaining a new member—a puppy from the Humane Society named Sofie. Diego and his older sister, Gabriela, both want a dog of their own, but agree to share (“But it will be more mine
, Diego thought. But it will be more mine
, Gabriela thought. Diego smiled at his sister. She smiled back at him”). Though the siblings initially find Sofie difficult to train, they learn that the puppy (like the rest of the family) is a big fan of Mrs. Domínguez’s homemade tortillas, which they use to help her learn tricks. The length of Sáenz’s text almost makes the book read like a short story—one that ably portrays mischievous sibling dynamics, a love of animals and the ways families come together during difficult times (Sofie falls ill at one point). Set against colorful solid backdrops, Garcia’s clay artwork has an appropriately homey quality that keeps the focus on the siblings and their beloved pet. Ages 5–10. (Aug.)
