Milo: A Moving Story

PreS-Gr 2— Milo is an average-looking dog living an ordinary life in just an "okay part of town" in New York City. Aside from working every other day as a messenger and visiting a few canine companions, his life is simply standard. Then, after an argument with a friend named Snombo, Milo's day transitions into something increasingly off-kilter. First, it is a wild breeze and a rabble of moths; ultimately, a full-blown gale whisks his kennel up onto a skyscraper in the middle of the clouds. With the help of a migrating bird named Carlos who is on his way to Tierra del Fuego and wearing sneakers so he can part-fly/part-walk his way there ("You see so much more when you go by foot" is his catchphrase), Milo expands his horizons and eventually makes his way home. Riddle incorporates a vintage cartoon technique in mostly muted browns, grays, and blacks to present a nostalgic story about abandoning the old and comfortable for something new and exciting. While young children will not likely recognize his favorite songs: "In the Good Old Summertime" and "Give My Regards to Broadway," or be able to identify an image of the Egyptian pyramids, they should grasp the overall sentiment that new possibilities make life interesting. Carlos the bird is perhaps the most memorable character in the book, and deserves a follow-up story all his own. The superimposed images of the Manhattan skyline alongside Milo's doghouse adds a unique dimension to the story.