TIPPY FINDS A HOME

A boisterous, homeless dog finds a permanent home with the foster family assigned to care for him temporarily.

Tippy is called a terrier in the story, possibly a mix of terrier breeds or a smooth-coated fox terrier. He is transported along with many other dogs to a new location for potential adoption and “forever homes.” A white couple named Nice Woman and Nice Man take Tippy home as a temporary foster placement, introducing him to their own dog and cat. Nice Woman and Nice Man give rambunctious Tippy lots of attention and teach him basic obedience, and gradually he learns how to get along and behave. The couple realizes that Tippy has adjusted to his new home so well that they decide to keep him permanently. The text, based on a true story in the author’s life, is told in an old-fashioned style that includes Tippy’s thoughts, lots of words in capital letters for emphasis, and too many exclamation marks. The story’s saccharine slant includes Tippy’s exuberant pronouncements of joy at his permanent adoption, including a “happy tear” sliding down his nose. The illustrations include lots of humorous mischief in altercations among the two dogs and the cat, and multiple views of Tippy’s changing expressions help establish his personality. The human characters are shown primarily from the shoulders down and include children of color in one illustration.

Tippy finds a new home, but his sentimental tale doesn’t cover any new territory in the crowded field of dog-adoption stories.