Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

Two powerhouses team up to bring young readers a sweet and inspiring autobiography of one girl who made her dream a reality. Vegbooks contributors Jennifer and Jessica (not once, but twice!) have fawned over Patrick McDonnell’s work, but now they and you too can appreciate his artistic style and prose in a different light. None of the mutts that made McDonnell famous can be found here, but several of the protagonist’s own drawings and puzzles make a debut.

In Me…Jane, McDonnell records the curious making of a young naturalist: bonding with a stuffed animal friend, watching birds make a nest and spiders spin a web, absorbing information about flora and fauna like a sponge, climbing trees, learning how eggs are made firsthand, and dreaming of a life helping animals in Africa.

The cartoon-illustrated and simply written text leads up to a fully colored photograph of famed primatologist, animal advocate and UN Messenger of Peace, Dr. Jane Goodall, reaching out her hand to meet that of a baby chimpanzee, a tell tale image that her dream came true. Me…Jane is an touching biography because every reader can identify with Jane’s nature explorations of her youth and come to believe that they too can realize their ambitions.

Ages 4-8.

Review By JENNIFER GANNETT

With Hug Time, Patrick McDonnell, longtime cartoonist and creator of “Mutts” (as well as the artist behind New Jersey’s animal friendly license plate), has crafted another winner. The sweet rhyming cadence and nicely balanced illustrations happily hook adults and children as they follow Jules the Kitten. Jules is feeling a little down about the state of global affairs and has come up with a solution: to hug the whole world. Caregivers of young children can probably relate to Doozy as she helps Jules with his sweater and asks, “hug the whole world, will that make it better?” Jules answers in the affirmative (ah! the certainty of the very young!) and sets out.

Along the way, there are allusions to various environmental themes as we follow Jules through the world and he experiences finding (and hugging) charismatic mega-fauna and lesser-known species as well. A nod to climate change and its impact on polar bears makes its way into the end of the story but before the plot becomes too heavy, we are reminded that change begins with our actions at home, sometimes with just one hug.

An adorable book to share with huggable folks ages 3 and up.

Review By JESSICA ALMY

Fans of Patrick McDonnell’s Wag! will love The Gift of Nothing.  Featuring the adorable characters from his comic strip Mutts,  the plot of this story can be summed up in a ten-word riddle.  Q: What do you give a friend who has everything? A: Nothing.

Of course, like everything else Mr. McDonnell does, the magic is in the storytelling.  Using heartfelt illustrations and simple text, his story book conveys what it’s like to be in a relationship where you are accepted not for what you give the other person, but simply for who you are.  It’s the kind of love that parents and children will recognize in each other, and that’s intimately familiar to anyone who has ever loved a dog, cat, or horse.

Parents who are concerned about the effect consumerism has on their children and the environment will also appreciate the book’s anti-stuff slant.

Ages 4-8.

Why does Earl’s tail wag – fwip fwip fwip?  Young readers will love the simple storyline of this book and its use of repetition, and parents will adore Patrick McDonnell’s sweet little mutt and his appreciation of just about everything.

Mr. McDonnell is a hero for animals and the people who love them, bringing simple messages of kindness and raising awareness through his widely read comic strip Mutts. With Wag, now even the littlest kids can enjoy his work.

Ages 2-8.  Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy listening, while bigger kids will be able to read this by themselves.