Don't Worry, Murray

Stein's (The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken) wide-eyed, floppy-eared, and utterly adorable protagonist is a small pup in an often overwhelming world, shown in fluid multimedia cartoons as far from in command of his surroundings. Murray worries about a lot of things: getting washed away by a rainstorm, a big dog in the park who might be a bully, the cat print hung near his bed that, to Murray's eyes, seems downright ghoulish. But the omniscient narrator--Murray's loving owner--never belittles the pooch, instead offering whatever's needed to help Murray venture out into the world. Rainstorm? Murray gets a snappy yellow slicker that makes him wag his tail. Big dog? The narrator offers reassurance: "He's nice." Scary feline art? "I'll stay right here with you while you fall asleep." The solutions aren't absolutely foolproof: that big friendly dog still has a very loud bark. But Murray knows, as readers will, that being loved, looked out for, and celebrated as "brave" for trying new things makes all the difference--and when one possesses that, a dog can have his day. Ages 4-8. (June)

[This] book provides young kids a lens through which to approach their own anxieties.... Viewers with any kind of fear will find a kindred soul in Murray, and they'll also learn that being brave can bring its own rewards. — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books