Chick 'n' Pug (Chick 'n' Pug #1)

This story about friendship will resonate with children who find their heroes in unlikely places. A small yellow chick sets off to find the kind of excitement seen in his favorite book, The Adventures of Wonder Pug! When he meets a barrel-chested pug who's more interested in sleeping than adventure, Chick still thinks he is "magnificent." Much of the book's humor revolves around Chick's misinterpretations of the dog's actions. When Pug yawns, Chick is "aflutter with excitement. Let the adventure begin!' " And when the pug tears at the striped sweater his owner has saddled him with, Chick is the ultimate cheerleader: "Look at him go! He must have trained vigorously to bear such an opponent!" Sattler (Sylvie) is particularly adept with the characters' facial expressions. Chick is determined, baffled, surprised; Pug is long-suffering, worried, grateful. When a placid cat, Mr. Snuggles, intrudes and Pug continues to sleep ("Clearly Pug's strategy was to play dead"), the bird enters the heroic fantasy he's created, chasing the cat away with a "WOOF!" and crowing, "Mr. Snuggles didn't count on Wonder Pug having a sidekick, did he?" Ages 36. (Sept.) Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

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, CT

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.