Paws: Mindy Makes Some Space by Nathan Fairbairn, and illustrated by Michele Assarasakorn
This book is a cozy friendship story that includes three best friends, lots of dogs, a cat named Chonk, and (finally) new friends. There are a lot of bumps along the way (and hopefully only chocolate in the face of one girl) but still it makes for a fun read.
Now the bumps are several fold. First, there was a story plot mentioned that was confusing to me as I was thinking why is the narrator not explaining? (Oh, you see the big two on the spine there…? Yup this is book two). And then there was the fact I was reading this in an online reader copy and pages/panels were missing. But I was able to get the idea of things. And there was that maybe the narrator is not the best person in the world. Okay, she is dealing with a lot, but they could have made her a little more aware of things.
And that is the plot cue: Mindy and her friends have a dog walking business, PAWS. Just the three of them. And she has her mom. Just the two of them. And now there is this new girl and she wants to be friends and take her spot in the dog walking business and there is this guy named Michael who likes video games as much has mom and he wants to tell her what to do and horn in on Mom and Mindy night and …. You get the idea. Mindy does not like change. Not at all.
For ages eight and up, the idea of there is always room for one more is done in a modern tone. The new girl is in a wheelchair (we also get some ways to help our friends do things like Trick or Treat not in wheelchair friendly areas, and more) and the kids are diverse. There is a divorced parent and the child/parent relationships are modernly created. And the art is fun and bubbly. The cover is what you see what you get concept. Colors, minimal details and round.
