SIMON AND THE BETTER BONE

A tale of canine fun and friendship inspired by Aesop’s “The Dog and His Reflection.”

Simon, an endearing and perky brown pup with a tasty bone, spots what he considers to be a scraggly dog with a seemingly larger snack in the surface of the pond, not realizing it’s his own reflection. (The book opens vertically, allowing viewers to see both our furry hero and his reflection.) How can Simon get the bone for himself? A request for a trade goes nowhere, so he tries to challenge the other dog to a staring contest. When nothing works, he decides to pounce—which results in the loss of the bone! Young listeners will explode into giggles as they recognize Simon’s toddlerlike mistakes, all the while appreciating his good (and not-so-good) intentions. There just happens to be an additional bone nearby, and Simon eagerly acquires it—but maybe making a friend is more important than having a bone….Tabor’s smudgy illustrations depict Simon with warmth and humor in a gentle park setting that cleverly leaves room for young readers and listeners to spot Simon’s errors and show off their own knowledge; the author/illustrator also deftly folds in a joke-filled lesson about sharing and friendship. Kids will fall in love with this enticing introduction to Aesop—and with Simon. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A charming, clever, and feel-good version of a classic fable.