MILO

A dog and his house take a fantastical trip.

Milo lives “in a solid kennel in an okay part of town.” He and canine pals Cluffy and Snombo have all kinds of fun. One night, Milo dreams that’s he’s in a small boat being tossed on a stormy sea. The next morning he is quite cranky, barking at his friends when they offer him poetry. The day is weirder than the dream, with a large rabble of moths fluttering by his house—then a balloon, a scarecrow, an anvil, and a dozen other items. A gust snatches Milo’s house; he huddles inside. The next morning, Milo discovers that his house is perched near the top of a skyscraper, overlooking the city. For a while, he just contemplates his condition, occasionally howling. Carlos, a migrating bird in “comfy sneakers,” stops by and lands on the roof, acting as a counterweight and allowing Milo to scrabble to safer ground. Carlos has traveled the world and shares his adventures with Milo. Eventually Milo finds his way home and reconnects with his friends; the illustrations now have touches of color. Riddle’s text is wry and understated, with vocabulary that both challenges and trusts its readers; his illustrations are likewise intelligent, digitally weaving together his soft cartoon figures with photographs and employing color sparingly.

This subtle and meaningful fable makes for thought-provoking literature for young readers.