Fred’s Beds

Samuels, who introduced a boy named Leo and his new cat in The Trucker, showcases another child-pet friendship in this story about Zelda and her dog, Fred. An inveterate napper, the beagle shrewdly selects his snoozing spots: when Zelda goes shopping with her mother, he plunks down on “The Doormat Bed” (“the perfect spot to keep a lookout for Zelda and the groceries”). And while Zelda sloppily pours cake batter into a pan, Fred lies on “The Pile-of-Old-Newspapers Bed” under the kitchen counter (“If he stays very still, a treat may fall his way”). The story’s understated humor shifts into higher gear when Zelda’s birthday party suddenly upends Fred’s life. His missteps (prematurely sampling the cake and inadvertently making a baby howl) lead to a time-out in the backyard—where he collapses on “The Flower Bed” before being rudely awakened by rowdy guests. Fred’s travails, body language, and ability to make a bed out of just about anything make for entertaining reading, but it’s his mutually adoring relationship with Zelda that will resonate most strongly with young pet lovers. Ages 4–8. (June)