Jorey Hurley follows up her astonishing picture book Nest, about a robin's life cycle, with a joyful investigation of a dog at play.
Once again, Hurley's use of a limited palette and just one word per scene keep the focus on the animal star, in this case, a Labrador retriever. The canine's sandy-colored coat contrasts perfectly with the ocean blue, into which the unseen owner throws the red ball. Readers will spy the floating red circle before the dog does ("search," reads the text). "Splash" indicates the dog has spotted the ball, ears on alert and tail up, braving the waves in pursuit of its trophy. An image that begs readers to turn the book vertically ("swim") shows the depth of the waters the dog braves in order to retrieve the ball; meanwhile, a school of clownfish match the ball and unite the composition. Other sea creatures (seals, dolphins, a shark in pursuit of prey) join the salty adventure. And at the end, dog and owner are reunited.
Although this picture book doesn't operate on quite as many levels as Nest did (the seasons, nature's life cycles, words with double meanings), children will appreciate experiencing the ocean from a dog's perspective, and the beauty the pooch takes for granted. Most of all, they will readily identify with the pet's sense of play. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness