Nose to Nose
By Thyra Heder
Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024.
Ages 4–8
Critically acclaimed author-illustrator Thyra Heder has created Nose to Nose, an insightful yet silly picture book, about trying to make new friends as the newest dog in town. For animal lovers and book lovers, Thyra demonstrates how much courage it takes to face a problem “nose to nose.”
Toby and his family have moved recently making Toby the new dog on the block. He is eager to meet his neighbors. His attempts to make friends are difficult in such a busy neighborhood. Being new isn’t easy or fun. At last, he finds a wonderfully smelly ball at the park. He soon realizes that this treasure actually belongs to Pancake, who wants it back. Word goes out that Toby had stolen the ball. Toby tries his best to explain his mistake, but his messages get misunderstood. Toby doesn’t know if he’ll ever make a friend, hopefully by being brave and taking a chance, he can make things right.
Readers will understand that it’s hard to be the new kid. All the other dogs in the neighborhood are leaving each other (pee) messages, but no one is saying anything to Toby!
Toby encounters problems along the way and Thyra’s watercolors show imaginative lessons in creating friends in such an outstanding way. Heder’s illustrations are good at capturing the chaotic motion of dogs at play! Most of the story is shown rather than told, with just a few sentences per page. Everything ends happily in a mega-romp.
Submitted by Karen Kosko
