PreS-Gr 2--Young dog lovers will enjoy meeting Sam. It won't take long for them to realize that the exuberant pup can't really talk; however, he and his boy companion have no trouble understanding one another. The simple sentence structure, repetitive words and phrases, and large pictures make this a good choice for beginning readers. Fritz's watercolor cartoons are colorful and appealing. The supportive note to parents about reading is a bonus. More challenging stories about kids and their best dog friends include Cynthia Rylant's ``Henry and Mudge'' series (Bradbury) and Three Stories You Can Read to Your Dog (Houghton, 1994) by Sara Swan Miller.
Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID
Copyright 1995 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
A young boy describes how his new dog Sam talks to him, how they play together, and what pals they are.
