Review: My Friend Lucky

I'm going to have to concentrate on picture books for the next two weeks, to leave myself free to indulge in MotherReader's Book Reading Challenge. (Exception made for Specials, of course.



My Friend Lucky written and illustrated by David Milgrim. Atheneum, 2002 (0-689-84253-8) $12.00

I love a good "opposites" book; somehow the very simplicity of the form seems to bring out the most imaginative possibilities. This book about a boy and his dog, with just two words per page and illustrations that seem a half-step beyond stick figures, could not look any simpler, but it is filled with wit and affection. The dog's name is Lucky, and he and his big-headed boy demonstrate opposites together: "Lucky's sad" when he's all alone; "Lucky's happy" when he finds his boy. "Lucky chases" a rabbit" and "Lucky's chased" by a whole herd of them. My favorite spread is "Lucky's loud" and "Lucky's quiet," which are exactly the same picture of Lucky madly barking--but in the second scene, his boy has put headphones on. The book ends with the words: "I love Lucky/Lucky loves me"... and we believe it. * (2-6)