Can I Sit With You?, by Sarah Jacoby, (March 2021, Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781452164649
Ages 5-8
A lonely dog sees a young girl walking with her mother and pursues her, sensing she needs a friend as the pup does: “Can I sit with you?” The girl and the dog are loyal to one another through the passing of time, and each understands the other’s need to grow and wander a bit, make others friends, yet always come back to one another: “So if you hear another call / or disappear from view, / I’ll understand the stray in you. / It is in my nature, too.” As the girl returns from home her travels, the dog joyfully leaps into her arms and declares, “I will sit with you”. A loving testament to unconditional love and friendship, the verse is quiet and soft, perfect for a lapsit or a stuffed animal storytime when you can encourage cuddles. Pastel and watercolor artwork is soft, blending into one another, with gorgeous color reflecting emotions and the relationship between the two friends. As Kirkus says, “Young readers will want to sit with this pair. They’re made for each other.”
Can I Sit With You? has a starred review from Kirkus.
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