Princess Pistachio and Maurice the Magnificent

Gr 1–3—This lighthearted story about a young girl and her lazy dog will entice young readers who are venturing into chapter books. When Pistachio Shoelace's dog's comical and haphazard rise to fame as actor "Maurice the Magnificent" results in a neglected friendship, the girl hilariously learns her lesson. Readers will get a kick out of Maurice's talent: "No one has ever seen an actor sleep or snore with such flair." Such kid-centric humor prevents the plot from veering into didacticism, while still getting a simple, universal message across. Gay has also successfully illustrated for other authors, and inventing her own world with Pistachio, Maurice, Madeleine, and minor but memorable other characters such as Mr. Grumblebrain has allowed her expertise with water-based media to shine. Illustrations depicting Pistachio's classmates' laughter during show and tell and the series of dogs trying out for the Doggone Theater's lead role (from trumpeting Chihuahuas to a beagle balancing a teacup on her nose) all fit perfectly with the text's silly and sweet tone.