My Dog Banana

A dog called Banana draws a crowd in Brouillard’s droll dual debut in translation. Wordlessly and humorously, the story opens with a black-haired, white-skinned child holding a leash—at its end is what appears to be a banana. “That’s not a dog,” a passerby shouts. “Open your eyes! Clearly she’s a dog,” the child retorts. Page by page, a crowd grows, questioning, jeering, and teasing. Accompanied by a shih tzu, a person in a shaggy coat comments on Banana’s hairlessness. When another bystander asks to see some tricks, Banana—“a three-time gold medalist at the World Dog Competition” —obliges with a game of fetch so quick it’s beyond visual perception. When another child mockingly introduces a “cat-pear,” Banana’s human disdainfully declares the crowd to be ignorant and “ridiculous.” “HA”s fill the page as the misunderstood duo depart, but a final scene that leaves the disbelievers slack-jawed will have readers wondering who was making a mockery of whom. With clean lines and cool colors, Sagramola’s spare illustrations have a mid-century modern aesthetic that’s a fitting partner to the playful story’s simple dialogue and timeless humor. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)