Say Hello to Zorro! by Carter Goodrich

Mister Bud had a great life.  He had his own bed, his own toys, his own dish, and best of all, his own schedule.  His schedule had plenty of nap time, meal time, and walks.  Everyone followed the schedule.  Period.  But one day, the schedule was interrupted when a stranger showed up.  Zorro, a new dog, was moving in with them.  At first it was tough and there were fights, but then both Mister Bud and Zorro realized that their lives were a lot better together.  And everyone followed the new schedule.  Period.

Goodrich writes with a real sense of comic timing.  The book reads aloud beautifully, often using a page turn to add to the suspense of a sentence.  The growing friendship of the two dogs is a pleasure to read.  Especially noteworthy is the fact that neither dog changed their personalities as the book progresses, but rather found common ground for their friendship.

The illustrations make great use of the white background.  They tell the story with visual humor that adds to the book’s tone.  The colors are bright and friendly.  Best of all, the illustrations capture emotions perfectly.  There is the joy of a walk, the quiet of a nap, the anger of a new dog, and the silent lean of a dog waiting to be fed. 

Pet lovers, this is a book that you will relate to immediately.  A great addition to any dog story time, this book will also work for friendship or new sibling units.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Also reviewed by:

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• Confessions of a Bookaholic
• Kiss the Book
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• Where the Best Books Are