Bobbie the Wonder Dog: A True Story

Brown (Charlie and the Blanket Toss) teams up with newcomer Porter to recount the story of a dog's 2,800-mile journey to reunite with its "people" in 1923. Frank and Elizabeth Brazier initially purchased Bobbie, a collie, as a farm dog; despite injuries suffered from run-ins with a horse and a tractor, Bobbie remained devoted to the family, even after they moved into the restaurant business, walking into town from the farm on his own: "Days later, Bobbie ambled into their restaurant, as if to say, %E2%80%98Hey, didn't you forget somebody?' " After the Braziers drive from Oregon to their old Indiana hometown, Bobbie gets lost, chased off by wild dogs. Porter's detailed and dramatically lit paintings trace Bobbie's difficult solo trip back to Oregon, crossing through snowy forests and rain-soaked fields. An end note reveals additional details about Bobbie's remarkable life (in addition to nationwide fame, Bobbie appeared in a silent film and fathered a litter of 16 male puppies), fleshing out a quietly inspiring story that's just as engrossing now as it was some 90 years ago. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (Apr.)