TIPPY FINDS A HOME

A boisterous, homeless dog finds a
permanent home with the foster family assigned to care for him temporarily.

Tippy is called a terrier in the story,
possibly a mix of terrier breeds or a smooth-coated fox terrier. He is
transported along with many other dogs to a new location for potential adoption
and “forever homes.” A white couple named Nice Woman and Nice Man take Tippy
home as a temporary foster placement, introducing him to their own dog and cat.
Nice Woman and Nice Man give rambunctious Tippy lots of attention and teach him
basic obedience, and gradually he learns how to get along and behave. The
couple realizes that Tippy has adjusted to his new home so well that they
decide to keep him permanently. The text, based on a true story in the author’s
life, is told in an old-fashioned style that includes Tippy’s thoughts, lots of
words in capital letters for emphasis, and too many exclamation marks. The
story’s saccharine slant includes Tippy’s exuberant pronouncements of joy at
his permanent adoption, including a “happy tear” sliding down his nose. The
illustrations include lots of humorous mischief in altercations among the two
dogs and the cat, and multiple views of Tippy’s changing expressions help
establish his personality. The human characters are shown primarily from the
shoulders down and include children of color in one illustration.

Tippy finds a new home, but his
sentimental tale doesn’t cover any new territory in the crowded field of
dog-adoption stories. (Picture book. 4-7)