MAYA & WAGGERS

In this chapter book, a girl learns what it means to own a pooch as she tries to find the courage to scoop the dog’s poop.

Maya Union, a brown-skinned girl, and her family live in an “Island Nation” where dogs are a novelty. The island’s inhabitants—the Puddin’ Heads and the Sweeties—know nothing about canines and their care. Nevertheless, an American official ships a bunch of puppies to the island, who are adopted by the Puddin’ Heads. On this island, devotion to Puddin’ Head or Sweetie identity is essential. Kosmos’ children’s story about dog care and political orientation opens with a close friend, Lily, visiting Maya to see her newly adopted puppy, Waggers. Maya’s sister, Blaze, a “football and rock star,” is going on tour soon and the Union family plans to accompany her. Maya begs to remain home to care for Waggers or for Lily’s family to take the dog and both girls. But as Sweeties, Lily’s parents refuse. They believe that “puppies are for Puddin’ Heads, not Sweeties.” As a result, Maya, Lily, and Waggers must spend a week with the dreaded Uncle Kal, who prides himself on his brand-new MegaCorp lawn, an innovative product that needs to establish its roots. But while dealing with her uncle’s pristine lawn and his neighborhood’s strong Puddin’ Head identity, Maya learns she must find a place for Waggers’ poop. She considers several options—even the idea of training the puppy notto poop—and realizes that locating a new lawn for the dog is the solution. But after an eye-opening neighborhood adventure, Maya concludes that she might have to scoop the poop after all. Following Kosmos’ Blaze Union and the Puddin’ Head Schools (2023), this series opener starring Maya deftly captures the childhood spirit that comes with owning a dog. It does a remarkable job of teaching responsibility in an amusing way. The tale also smoothly integrates canine care, an engaging narrative, and political differences, with humor the common thread. Featuring compact illustrations by Mullins, the work manages to celebrate diversity without being didactic. Although some readers may want more details about Maya’s stay with Uncle Kal, the story ends with a funny, smart surprise, allowing the audience to imagine what will happen next.

A hilarious tale about canine care and political differences.