Antoinette (Gaston and Friends)

In a delightful sequel to 2014's Gaston, Gaston the bulldog's poodle counterpart, Antoinette, wonders what she has to offer compared to her bulldog brothers Rocky, Ricky, and Bruno, who are--respectively--clever, fast, and strong. Antoinette's mother has faith: "Chin up!" she barks. "You have something extra special. I can feel it in my bones!" That something extra is persistence, readers discover, as the two canine families realize that Gaston's brother Ooh-La-La is missing: "Antoinette felt a tug in her heart and a twitch in her nose. She could not--would not--give up!" From then on it's an action-packed romp, as Antoinette trails Ooh-La-La to the Louvre, smuggles herself past the guards, and carries out a heart-stopping rescue--complete with an instant replay--atop a famous sculpture. Robinson's Parisian spreads are full of retro verve, but he doesn't overlook the city's ordinary inhabitants--a garbage collector, a bubble blower in the park, a woman in a head scarf driving a car. DiPucchio excels in showing rather than telling, and it's clear that beneath Antoinette's fluffy exterior lies the heart of a hero. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Feb.)

PreS-Gr 1--DiPucchio and Robinson follow up Gaston, their book about a French bulldog in a family of poodles, with a tale about his pal Antoinette, the lone poodle in a litter of French bulldogs. Antoinette's siblings all have special talents, but she's not sure what makes her stand out. All that changes, however, the day that Antoinette's and Gaston's families meet up and Gaston's sister Ooh-La-La goes missing. Stalwart Antoinette refuses to give up in the face of adversity and soon proves herself. Expressive and energetic, Robinson's acrylic illustrations are full of details that establish the Parisian setting, from the Eiffel Tower in the background to the beret on a painter in the park, and the climactic moment takes place in the Louvre, on the famed Winged Victory of Samothrace statue. The images have a flat, almost childlike feeling, with the artist using simple shapes to portray characters and objects and convey a sense of whimsy that matches the text. The focus is the dogs, but many ethnically diverse people appear in the background. While this is a straightforward story, with the familiar message that sometimes it takes time to discover one's raison d'etre, DiPucchio brings a lighthearted, arch quality to her narration, breaking the fourth wall here and there ("Busy aren't they? And ridiculously cute, but please don't tell them that."). Overall, this picture book is bound to have children rapt until the conclusion--and soon begging for another read. VERDICT Sure to be a storytime hit, especially where Gaston is popular.--Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal