ADVENTURE AWAITS

A dog and a cat separately awaken to a day full of promise and an interesting world to explore.

Indoors, a gray dog arises from a purple cushion. Elsewhere, a striped, orange tabby leaves its green cushion, performing a quintessentially catlike stretch. Each creature heads outdoors. The dog pauses to check out a butterfly and a bee, then a squirrel sitting on a fence. The cat’s fancy is caught by a red watering can, then by two blue jays looking on with wary interest. The dog chases the squirrel, and the cat chases the birds up the same large tree with spreading, leafy branches. Stymied, the two pets gaze at a hollow in the trunk that, frightfully, appears occupied. It is! The occupant—an owl—peers after the cat and dog as they flee. Back home, they return to the safety of their cozy cushions. Readers will enjoy the surprising twist ending, and the sight of a raccoon peering through the glass-paned door promises new adventures. Beautifully crafted, this tale leaves space for children to fill in the story and to practice reading others’ emotions and intentions. Are the dog and cat friends? What are they looking for? Do they find it? Did the owl scare them (or vice versa)? Consisting mostly of verbs, the text guides and hints but lets children—like the animal characters—make their own discoveries. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An engaging romp from start to finish.