Forever Home: A Dog and Boy Love Story

In this wordless tale, a lonely dog and a child yearning for a pet find solace and purpose together. Alone on a stoop, an abandoned dog sits in front of a locked door and a nearby "for sale" sign. The dog sadly roams the neighborhood, searching for a new home. Meanwhile, a child pesters their parents with pleas for a dog... The pair are joyfully reunited at the dog shelter, embarking on new adventures and grateful to be together. Cole excels at creating expressive background characters and realistic details with precise ink crosshatches and linework that rewards closer inspection. The child is light-skinned with spiky black hair. One parent is light-skinned; the other is dark-skinned. An exquisitely rendered, touching story of companionship and belonging. 

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PreS-Gr 2--In this poignant wordless book, a young boy eager to prove his responsibility as a dog owner begins dragging an empty leash wherever he goes. When he finds a dog living in a box on the street, it is love at first sight. Once he successfully sways his parents by cleaning his unmanageably messy room, an adoption is made--and a family is complete. The delicate hatching of Cole's ink drawings (black and white, except for the bright red of the dog's leash and collar) engenders a subtle air of grayscale nostalgia, not old-fashioned as much as quietly comforting. The inclusion of the boy's parents, an interracial same-sex couple, provides a modern update to a classic narrative. VERDICT This sweet and touching story will prove a worthy addition to any collection.--Jonah Dragan