HUSH, LITTLE PUPPY

A little boy in blue pajamas repeatedly tries to settle his golden retriever puppy down for the night in this sweet but predictable bedtime story. With soothing phrases, the boy keeps tucking the puppy back in its dog bed, alternating with remembrances of their busy day spent splashing in a creek, chasing sticks and playing in the mud. Finally, the little boy carries the puppy upstairs to his own bedroom, where they fall asleep cuddled up together on turquoise, polka-dotted sheets. Winter’s pleasant watercolor illustrations in pastel shades show a cozy home in a rural setting with lots of outdoor space for enjoying an idyllic picnic or romping with surprised sheep down a muddy lane. Like all puppies, this one is appealing, but the little boy seems a little subdued and doesn’t really engage the reader. Though the story can be sung to the tune of “Hush, Little Baby,” the text actually works better if read rather than sung, as some of the phrases don’t exactly fit the rhythm of the lullaby. (Picture book. 3-5)