Pride Month is going full swing and is slaying. One book that is getting much attention is Pride Puppy! by Robin Stevenson and illustrated by Julie McLaughlin. The cover is “in your face” colors and images. But that is not a bad thing. It just lets you know what to expect inside. And that inside is not only an alphabet book that connects to terms used to express ideas and such within the community, but also has pages of busy images, colors, text, and a runaway puppy.
McLaughlin’s illustrations are fun. You will find a few items that are mentioned in the prose, but if you look closely, you will find things that start with the letter being presented that are not mentioned. You will see all types of people and things (flags, banners, clothing) showing everyone’s individuality and support. Along with that we have Stevenson’s expressive text. The story is a young girl and her family go to a local Pride parade. There they meet up with family, old friends and make new ones along the way. They also must catch their excited dog who escapes into the crowd causing mayhem.
This was the only part of the story I was not completely taken with. While it does help make it different from other pride books, it also is a point (a disruptive pet) I am not always a fan of. But that is a remarkably small and personal issue. Everyone else will be charmed by the goofy nature and the chasing of the pup. This is an all ages book that works for home, school or local libraries. It might start off with Pride as the theme, but it is more than that as well.