Puddle Trouble

PreS-Gr 2–Rainy weather presents a problem for dogs Pepper and Boo and an unnamed cat. Boo tries enthusiastically to convince the reluctant Pepper to join him outside; meanwhile the cat shares feline facts and provides comic relief (getting their head stuck in a jar, confessing that they sometimes even have fun with, gasp, dog toys). This beginning reader graphic novel uses varying sentence structure and simple repetitive words. The shifts in perspective between the dogs and the cat provide natural pauses, making this an excellent choice for reading in a group. Pepper and Boo’s dialogue is placed in color-coded speech bubbles; the cat speaks in plain text on a white background. The comic-style illustrations are reminiscent of “Narwhal and Jelly” or “Pizza and Taco” and feature color-filled line drawings on mostly plain backgrounds.