Plenty of Love to Go Around

October 31, 2016
Plum the dog returns in this sweet-natured sequel to Love Is My Favorite Thing (2015), and she is dealing with an unwelcome new addition in her family: a white cat named Binky who can perform neat tricks like climbing up trees and down banisters, and eagerly follows her around everywhere. ("Is that cat with you?" asks Plum's friend Esther during an outing at the park.) Displaced older siblings will readily identify with Plum's fears about losing her spot as her family's "Special One," and the dog's emotions are plainly apparent in Clark's watercolor-and-pencil artwork. So are those of Binky, who winds up stuck outside during a rainstorm before Plum comes to understand that "there's plenty of love to go around and around." Ages 3â5.

September 15, 2016
A female mutt named Plum makes friends with a neighbor cat in this sequel to Love Is My Favorite Thing (2015).In the first story, Plum gets into lots of mischief but is still loved by her owners, white adults named Emma and Rupert. The children who live next door, blond, white Sam and Gracie, are Plum's best friends. In this sequel, the children have a surprise for Plum: their new, male cat named Binky. The wily, white cat tries hard to be friendly to Plum, who resists the feline's assertive attempts to engage. Binky follows Plum everywhere, copies her actions, and makes himself a general nuisance. The cat proves a real friend when Plum is accidentally locked in a garden shed and Binky summons help, but Plum continues to resist and tries to prevent Binky from coming into his own house in a rainstorm. A too-pat resolution occurs when the humans explain to Plum that they all have enough love for both a cat and a dog, and Plum has an immediate conversion to best-friend status with Binky. Engaging illustrations in watercolor and colored pencil help to mitigate the weak text, using a wide variety of compositions to successfully convey Plum's trepidation and Binky's overconfidence, and the extra-large trim size and cheerful palette offer additional visual appeal. A pleasant but not particularly fresh story that fails to capture the irresistible personality of Plum as established in her first outing. (Picture book. 3-6)

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November 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-Plum, an adorable black shaggy dog with a definite terrier look, is back for another adventure. As in the first book, it's all about love-Plum's favorite thing!-plus a bit of naughtiness, which she can't seem to control. Plum's best friends, the kids next door, bring home Binky, a cat. As he follows Plum around and mimics her every move, the pup's annoyance changes to jealousy, especially when Binky seems to rise to status as the new Special One. Full spreads and panels present colorful images that coordinate exceptionally well with the text. The font is dark gray, with emphasized words in black. The simple watercolor and pencil figures are full of expression, especially the large eyes, which show a range of emotions: happiness, dubious concern, and even some anger. VERDICT The large format makes this offering ideal for preschool storytime, and the message is a reassuring one. Recommended for all picture book collections.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2017
Plum (the shaggy black dog from Love Is My Favorite Thing) instantly dislikes Binky. Not only is Binky a cat, but he threatens Plum's position as her humans' "best one and only." Plum's jealousy veers toward mean-spiritedness until the didactic change-of-heart conclusion. Clark's colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations help to lighten the mood.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)