Poppy the Pirate Dog (Poppy the Pirate Dog #1)

K-Gr 2--This is a sweet story about a Dalmatian named Poppy and her seaside vacation with her family. Divided into small chapters, the tale starts with Poppy getting a pirate scarf at a local shop. Once it is tied around her neck, she takes on the demeanor of her inner pirate and begins searching for the perfect vessel. As their vacation unfolds, Mom, Dad, and the kids enjoy a fishing excursion, pedal boats, speedboats, and even a boat that spots "sea monsters," none of which suit the pup. It is only when her humans do a bit of research that they come up with the ideal way to spend their last day. "We've found Poppy's perfect pirate ship! It's exactly the right size, it's not too fast, and there are no big scary sea monsters." Phillips's playful illustrations rendered in ink and watercolors provide strong context for assistance with word recognition, comprehension, and fluency. In the same vein as Cynthia Rylant's "Henry and Mudge" books (S & S), this well-crafted title is sure to be a hit with early readers.--Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI

Kessler (the Emily Windsnap series) ventures into early chapter books with a chipper story about a would-be seafaring Dalmatian. Poppy is excited about spending a week at the seaside with her humans--and proud of her new neckerchief featuring a skull-and-crossbones pattern ("Don't mess with me, she thought. I'm a pirate dog"). The family's boat-centric vacation agenda seems well suited to Poppy's new life as a pirate, until she discovers that bobbing vessels, splashing waves, and seals that resemble sea monsters aren't at all to her liking ("Poppy wasn't feeling very much like a pirate dog anymore"). The narrative slips in and out of Poppy's mind to humorous effect, easily capturing her alternating bravado and timidity. Recalling Quentin Blake's work, Phillips's ink-and-watercolor illustrations fill in the narrative's blanks and flesh out Poppy's persona (one moment Poppy is strutting proudly down the boardwalk with a look of roguish determination in her eye; the next, she's cowering under a berth on a boat). Punchy dialogue and ample artwork nicely gear this to recent picture book graduates. Ages 5-9. (Aug.)