Motor Miles

A little autonomy goes a long way in Burningham's (The Way to the Zoo) story about a "difficult" dog named Miles. Much to the chagrin of Alice Trudge and her son, Norman, their dog Miles "did not come when he was called, did not like going for walks, and did not like his food." What he does like is riding in the passenger seat of Alice's car to a local cafe, where he sits at the table as other patrons admire him. Observing that Miles revels in these road trips, neighbor Mr. Huddy builds the dog a sporty red convertible that Miles and Norman use to "go on secret little trips," with a confident Miles behind the wheel. Miles's newfound freedom gives him a brighter outlook on life, and when Norman outgrows the roadster Mr. Huddy heads back to the workshop to help the pair take their travels to the next level. Burningham's matter-of-fact text and blithely inked illustrations embrace the comedy of the premise while capturing the close-knit relationship between boy and dog--especially when they're tooling across an empty beach at sunrise. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

PreS-Gr 2--After Alice Trudge and her son Norman give Miles a home, they realize he is a difficult dog. Miles doesn't like walks, other dogs, or much of anything except car rides. The next-door neighbor solves the problem by building the pup his own car. Once Miles masters driving, he takes Norman to school and on trips in the countryside. In fact, Miles's whole attitude improves. When Norman grows too big for the car, Miles stops driving. Adventures seem to be over until Norman and Miles discover their neighbor's new building project: an airplane. The matter-of-fact narration makes the story of a car-driving dog entirely believable. The watercolor, pen, and pastel illustrations perfectly capture Miles's postures and expressions to reveal his opinions and emotions. The spreads of the two friends traveling through panoramas of the four seasons underscore their joy and camaraderie. VERDICT This whimsical tale of friendship will delight Burningham fans and deserves serious consideration for a place in most collections.--Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato