My Dog, Bob

An unnamed boy introduces his floppy-eared dog, Bob, whose talents include cooking, playing golf, and driving a car—not to mention talking. When a neighbor, Mimi—who looks a little bit like Charles Schulz’s Sally Brown, but acts like Lucy Van Pelt—claims that her queenly poodle is the better dog, Bob doesn’t exactly rise to the occasion. “We win!” gloats Mimi, after her dog shows off tricks like fetching and sitting. Torrey leaves no question who the real winners are, wrapping up his story with Bob back in the kitchen preparing dinner for the whole family: “Pizza for all!” Subtle visual humor, especially regarding Bob’s exceptional skills, makes this lighthearted story a winner. Ages 4–8. Agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, Herman Agency. (Sept.)