Chick 'n' Pug - Softcover

Jennifer Sattler is a fine artist and is the creator of the picture book Sylvie. She lives in New York. www.jennifergordonsattler.com

PreS-Gr 1–Sattler is back with another clever yarn. “Chick had read The Adventures of Wonder Pug! 127 times. Every page was packed with excitement. But there was no excitement in the chicken coop. So Chick set off to find some.” What Chick finds is an ordinary, lackadaisical pug whom he idolizes. But when the pup's baby-talking owner brings a cat over, Chick decides something must be done as “clearly, Pug's strategy was to play dead.” The chick barks to frighten the feline away and declares himself Pug's sidekick. While some of the tongue-in-cheek story may go over younger children's heads, Chick's comical voice and the book's spare text are still likely to appeal to the book's audience, with the more sophisticated parts speaking to older siblings and parents. Little Chick, with his huge eyes, and Pug, who couldn't possibly be more puglike, are rendered in acrylics and colored pencil. The bright, smeary backgrounds make the two characters stand out even more, and their slightly cartoony look fits the story perfectly. In one priceless spread, Chick opens his mouth so wide that its diamond shape seems to take over his body and he yells, “woof!” In the background, the pug remains nonplussed, while, in the foreground, the terrified cat flees. Preschool fans of dogs, chickens, superheroes, and humor will all find something to like here, as will librarians looking for something to freshen up storytimes. Delightful.–Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CTα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.