When Hugo Went to School — Anne Rockwell

PreS-Gr 2-- Hugo, a yellow dog, has an upsetting adventure while visiting his master's relatives. Loving the children, he tries to accompany them to school and the principal summons the police to deal with him. The officer is kind, but he cages the pup while trying to locate his owner, which makes Hugo quite anxious and sad. In the end he is rescued, of course, and is happy to get home to his own apartment. Hugo is a sweet, bumbling fellow with expressive dark eyes, generating sympathy for his predicament. The text is simple enough for beginning readers but varied enough to read aloud. The ink and watercolor full- and double-page spreads are representative of the artist's easily recognized style of flat perspective, cheerful colors, and decorative details. They especially suit this warm-hearted story. --Patricia Pearl, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA