Lenore Finds a Friend: A True Story from Bedlam Farm (My Readers) - Hardcover

Two of the canine stars of Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm (2011) return in this gentle true story of interspecies affection. Katz again pulls double-duty as writer and photographer and hooks readers from the first spread: “When Lenore came to Bedlam Farm, she was just a puppy. None of the other animals wanted to be her friend.” This, of course, is paired with a heart-melting shot of a lonely-looking puppy. Katz skillfully uses the repetition of a picture book to continue the story: “The rooster crowed at her. The donkey tried to kick her. The goats just jeered.” The plot soon becomes a three-character struggle between Lenore, the ram she kisses in hopes of making a friend, and border collie Rose, who disapproves of the relationship: “Why would a dog want to be friends with a ram?” Katz’s photos, too, share the compositional traits of a picture book, with characters effectively foregrounded or split off into opposing halves of a frame to signal rumination or opposition. It’s irresistible, of course—small, personal, and heartwarming. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus