Reviews

PreS-Gr 1-- Rob, a sheepdog, ``smells the spring'' and decides to hunt for rabbits in the surrounding countryside. He bounds up hill and down dale, but has no luck in finding his quarry. Every hole and hollow is empty, so he follows what seems to be the way home. Alas, he is hopelessly lost. He follows a family taking a walk, but he realizes that their farm gate is not his own. The father of the family checks his collar tags and drives him home to his loving master. The text consists of short, choppy sentences, but the narrative has the elements of a successful story: a problem, mild suspense, and a happy resolution. The lively pastoral watercolors are executed in soft pastel shades highlighted with pen and ink. They blend nicely from one clean page to the next, reinforcing and focusing attention on the text. Independent early readers will find this a satisfying story while younger audiences will enjoy it as a storytime book. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, OH