FRAN’S FRIEND

Fred the dog wants to play; with a ball clutched in his mouth, he pads on fuzzy paws, over to where Fran is working away. Unfortunately, Fran, her desk heaped with paper, scissors, crayons, paste, and tape, is just too busy. Attempting again and again to help Fran with her project, Fred soon finds that he’s simply in the way. Disappointed and a little hurt, Fred curls up in his bed and waits. He doesn’t have to wait long as Fran finishes her project and shows Fred the card that she’s made for her “best friend in the whole wide world,” Fred. A final spread features Fran and Fred, best friends heading out to play ball, finally, with the card propped up in the background. Though the story is slight, it’s the illustrations that will draw a crowd. Bold and bright, they fill the oversized pages with vivid color and capture both the emotions and the frenzied activity of the young girl and her dog as they try to understand each other. Indeed, the medium is so rich it almost seems three-dimensional. As an aside, Fred’s thoughts (in a less formal typeface) appear near him as he tries to communicate with Fran. These are two cute characters who offer terrific visual appeal for story time—their tale is sure to be a hit with dog lovers. (Picture book. 4-7)