cover image Stay, Benson!

Stay, Benson!

Thereza Rowe. Thames & Hudson, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-0-500-65153-7

Benson, a large, energetic white dog, has no intention of obeying his person, Flick, who says, upon leaving for school: “Be good, Benson. You stay and watch the house. No chasing!” Benson immediately sneaks through the back door, emerging into a bright, busy world full of things to pursue: “Benson chases the squirrel around the tree and into the playground.” A scolding voice carries throughout the spreads: “Slow down, Benson! What did Flick tell you?” Rowe’s retro-style art features high-contrast shapes and bright colors, and die-cuts and flaps add dimension to the scenes. A stolen hot dog in his mouth, Benson slips back through the door just before Flick arrives home: “Have you been a good dog? Did you stay, Benson?” Readers will get a kick out of knowing the answer. Ages 3–up. [em](Feb.) [/em]