The illustrations are fun and colorful in Smithy and Me by Darcy Day Zoells. And while they are not overly detailed they are not lacking either. They set the tone, give the story the push along to make you wonder “what is next?” and keep the reader engaged. The story is “50/50” (you will or won’t like it). I might not have been the exact reader for it, but it is going to be a big hit and I see awards in the future.
The concept is simple: we have the dog Smithy that “does not” (like to share, taking a bath) and how that creates situations that the child of the story gets involved with which causes messes the mother/adult must clean up. Um…. I like the illustrations. They are clever and let you see what is happening without many words. In fact, overall the story has very few words to begin with. And there is a cute and/or funny image at the end that ties things together in a simple, but relatable to the adult, way.
The rating I would like to give this book is a 2.5. This is for the illustrations as I was never really behind the poor mom cleaning up the mess. Yes, the child must get ready for bed, but it could have been a great opportunity for a lesson in responsibilities too. With that being said, modern readers will appreciate and relate to the struggles of being a pet and child parent. The diverse cast of characters also makes it fresh and fun.