The Good Dog and the Bad Cat

In this sequel to The Good Dog, Kessler and Olson bring readers back to the Happy Family Bakery, where Tako the dog is a helpful presence for the Lee family, especially after he identifies a feline thief who is stealing from the store. Thus begins a rivalry between Tako and the cat, dubbed Allie, but as the two continue to run into each other, Tako’s opinions of the supposedly “bad” cat change. To Kessler’s credit, the story moves briskly despite its substantial length, but Olson’s gestural drawings only provide rough visual scaffolding for the action, and the softening in Tako and Allie’s relationship feels more drawn-out than deeply explored. Ages 5–7. (Sept.)