Little Mop Lost

This tale of a lost dog unfolds in straightforward, affecting text and full-bleed, somewhat monochromatic pastels. Kanome speaks equally eloquently through prose and pictures in recounting how Mop, a ragged and cuddly mutt, loses track of his owner during an after-school walk. Varying perspectives lend an appropriate sense of loss and confusion, as when, from a dog's-eye view, unknown legs and feet, boots and shoes begin Mop's night of fright. The emotional level is continued in an overhead view of a lonely park at night, lit only by street lamps and a crescent moon. There Mop finds ``a small white dog lying in the grass''--the two sleep curled up together, but in the morning Mop's pal is taken off to the pound (a brief sequence that may nonetheless disturb little ones). Finally Mop is reunited with his owner through the efforts of benevolent strangers and a ``missing dog'' poster. In its own way, this book is as powerful as a viewing of Lassie Come Home ; opportunities for discussion on such topics as the care and treatment of animals enhance the book's merit. Ages 3-6. (Nov.)