LADYBUG GIRL AND THE RESCUE DOGS

Ladybug Girl Lulu and her dog, Bingo, help with a dog adoption event in this latest entry in the long-running series about a spunky girl who wears a ladybug costume wherever she goes.

When Ladybug Girl and her mom are shopping at a farmers market, they meet members of a dog rescue group with several dogs ready for new homes. Ladybug Girl wants to take all the dogs home with her, but her mom explains that one dog is best for their family. Ladybug Girl helps out by carrying water to the dogs, and then she recruits her friends Bumblebee Boy and Grasshopper Girl to help by playing with the dogs and drawing more attention to the adoption event. They create some excitement by marching through the market with the dogs in a pet parade, leading to the adoption of one of the dogs. The story skillfully distills a complex issue into a situation that younger children can grasp, with concrete assistance from the Bug Squad kids, using their own ideas. Perky watercolor and ink illustrations show the charming children and cavorting canines from a variety of perspectives. Ladybug Girl and her family are white, as is Bumblebee boy; Grasshopper Girl and the woman from the animal shelter are black.

Another satisfying adventure for Ladybug Girl’s many fans.