Ruthie

Ruthie—a round marshmallow of a pooch who wears a red collar—declares himself “a prince” on the opening page of this quirky picture book, and the moniker doesn’t seem like much of an exaggeration. With naive-style illustrations and hand-lettered text, Shapiro (Roy Is Not a Dog) portrays Ruthie’s über-indulgent life with “the Queen,” a pale-skinned human who “takes me on walks through the royal gardens, feeds me butterberry pancakes and puts sparkly butterflies in my gorgeous hair.” But Ruthie, convinced that beyond the garden wall await even more loyal subjects ready to honor him with a parade, a statue, or a boat, makes a break for it—only to discover that the outside world is muddy, stinky, and populated with friendly creatures who are utterly unaware of his apparently royal status. A caring owl comforts the distraught Ruthie and offers him a ride home, where the reunion gives both the Prince and the Queen a fresh perspective that leads to less isolation for both. Shapiro gently deflates Ruthie’s ego while plumping up his friendship possibilities, showing how learning to tone down one’s self-importance can lead to genuine connection. Ages 3–7. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary. (Mar.)