Doggy Day Care (Frankly, Frannie)

Gr 2—3—Frannie Miller continues her quest to join the workforce. This time she's set her sights on becoming a dog veterinarian. After some practice with her stuffed animals, the precocious child finally gets a chance to work with real ones: her aunt has broken her leg and needs someone to help care for her pets while she attends an important business meeting. However, despite the best intentions of Frannie and her friend Elliott, the pet-sitting job nearly ends in disaster. Impulsive kids may identify with Frannie, who tends to jump right in before thinking through her ideas. Marts's illustrations effectively capture the girl's expressions as well as those of her animal charges. However, Frannie's breathless narrative, full of adverbs (sometimes she uses them correctly, sometimes not), can distract from the story. Sara Pennypacker's Clementine (Hyperion, 2006) and Jessica Harper's Uh Oh, Cleo (Putnam, 2008) also feature spirited female heroines and have stronger narratives.—Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR