SCUBA DOG

A dog finds a friend in an unlikely place. Can a dog and a whale be friends?

This dog likes the ocean, swimming, sailing his boat, and bobbing with the jellyfish. His dog friends like to jam and make music—but not to swim. One day he meets a whale. Though they share a love of the ocean, it’s not easy to be friends when he’s up and she’s down, and he can’t hold his breath. Back on land, he dreams, he draws, and he has an idea. He’s going to learn to scuba dive. He studies, he practices, he passes the test, and he gets his gear. Then it’s off to play with his friend. But not for long, as the whale needs to find food. While she’s gone, the dog prepares a hello surprise. He teaches his fellow dogs the whale’s song and makes a seaweed garland. After what seems like a very long wait, the whale eventually returns. Only it looks like she was gone for much more than food, as she returns with a baby! This uneven friendship story unfolds in short, choppy sentences that play mildly with internal rhyme and rhythm. Golden’s playful mixed-media illustrations (watercolors, pastels, and colored pencil) use a soft color palette nicely in tune with the story. Readers can’t help wondering, though, at what feels like a real imbalance in the protagonists’ friendship.

Sweet, uneven, and slight