GASPARD ON VACATION

Weary of museums, a young puppy escapes his family, slipping into a little red kayak to explore the canals of Venice on his own. As day wears on into night, Hallensleben (And If the Moon Could Talk, 1998, etc.) sends his errant little tourist gliding through impressionistically rendered Venetian scenes both recognizable and generic. Paddling hastily away from a disastrous encounter with a gondola, Gaspard ends up huddling in a church doorway (“I was a little bit scared”)—until a police boat with his relieved (not angry) parents aboard pulls up to carry him off to a meal of “the best spaghetti in the world.” Though perhaps not the most comforting pre-travel tale for parents, this companion to Lisa’s Airplane Trip (see below) should provoke family discussions about common-sense vacation behavior, as well as the desirability of keeping itineraries child-friendly. Hand-lettered, but easily legible text. (Picture book. 4-6)