Lucy by Randy Cecil is a black and white, illustrated story about a homeless dog named Lucy. This story is so touching and reminds readers of the importance of hope. The illustrations are so appealing and even though the book is quite long, the pages mostly have short sentences making the story good for younger readers as well.

Children love Lucy, Eleanor, and her father Sam. It's such a warm story. Great for home and classroom readers.

5***** ( )

The three main characters have a daily routine: A homeless dog knows when to get a scrap of food from behind the red door. The little girl who lives behind the door feeds the dog. Her father can juggle anything but has paralyzing stage fright. In five acts, we see the same story play out but a few things change each time to affect the outcome. Happy endings all around. Sweet, simple and warm-hearted. ( )

LUCY by Randy Cecil tells three overlapping stories that come together for a heart-warming finale.

Told in four acts through through different perspectives, this sweet story explores the lives of a lonely dog, a young girl, and an aspiring juggler.

The clever storytelling approach, sparse text, and grayscale illustrations all come together for an unusual reading experience.

Librarians will find this highly-illustrated book popular with dog lovers. Both beginning readers and older children will enjoy the repetition and compelling conclusion.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.randycecil.com/.

Published by Candlewick on August 2, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )