JUST RIGHT FOR TWO

When he makes a new friend, a self-reliant little dog soon realizes that life alone can have its downside.

Dog is pleased with his big blue suitcase, which he’s filled with his special possessions: “a bumpy little pinecone, a smooth rock with a hole in it, some dancing leaves, a really good stick, a soft, tickly feather, and a big shiny red button.” Confident and happy, he sets off to watch the moon and then snuggles down for the night on top of his suitcase—only to find in the morning he’s got company, in the form of a small mouse asleep next to him. Incensed, he demands this intruder leave, relenting a bit after Mouse admires his things and then agreeing to play one tiny game of hide-and-seek. When Mouse goes off on his own, the woods seem unusually quiet for Dog. What or who could Dog be missing? A combination of collage, gouache and crayon creates lovely and serene forest scenes in which individual personalities can balance each other in mutual camaraderie. The friendship theme—reminiscent of Frog and Toad or Ernest and Celestine—is quietly subtle and touching, with just the right amount of charm.

This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.