WHAT COCO CAN DO

A loving tribute to working dogs of many sorts…and one in particular.

Laberis portrays seven dogs of as many breeds in bright-eyed action, including Pepper, who works with a cattle rancher; Jax, a lifeguard dog who saves people from drowning; Kit, who’s trained to chase geese and other wildlife away from airport runways; and Scout, a smiling on-command screen actor who’s always “ready to roll.” Then there’s Coco, who “can cuddle,” as Boelts repeatedly writes. Readers who think that sounds nice but ordinary next to these other canine achievers are in for an eye-opening surprise, though. Coco is actually a professional cuddler who, clad in a special vest, brings comfort to hospital patients of all ages, to children who have lost their homes, to lonely or grieving elders, and to anyone with “a heart that just plain hurts.” Coco’s extended human family is multiracial; the other two-legged figures throughout are diverse in age and hue. Laberis gathers all the four-legged characters together at the end for a group portrait surrounded by hearts, an earnest demonstration of Boelts’ message that cuddling is “spectacular,” “just like every gift a dog gives.”

A testimonial glowing with shaggy, waggy charm.