HAZEL THE HANDFUL

Family dynamics change when a new baby enters the picture in this story narrated by a jealous pooch.

Hazel, a miniature breed, is clearly the center of her universe. That she is a handful is also obvious from the bite-size pieces missing from the remote control and the couch. But she’s beloved by her family, especially young Bea, who’s also a handful. Hazel offers a hilarious dog’s-eye view of her day: “First, I go on my business trip” (behind a fire hydrant). When the family goes on walks (with Hazel peering out of a stroller), passersby exclaim over Hazel, “What a cutie patootie!” An irritated Hazel chafes at the label: “I’m a Very Important Business Dog.” Michalak’s text is accompanied by witty, exuberant watercolor-and-ink illustrations; an especially clever spread sees the protagonist on her side, snoring, with one leg in the air (“I take maybe twenty-four naps” a day, Hazel informs us). Girl and dog clearly love each other and aren’t afraid to show it…until the baby arrives. The daily routines continue, but the focus shifts. Now when Mom, Dad, and Bea go on walks, the infant lies in the stroller instead of Hazel. Admiring passersby coo at the new “cutie patootie.” The annoyed pup embraces the nickname she once denounced: “Is it not clear? I am the patootie!” But Michalak and Myers bring the narrative to a happy ending as Hazel is reminded that though things may have changed, she still belongs. Hazel’s family is Black.

A fun-filled, high-energy romp with a satisfying outcome.