Pugtato Finds a Thing

Pugtato Finds a Thing is a beautifully illustrated and gently written tale about friendship, curiosity, and compassion. Due out 4th August 2020 from Zonderkidz, it's 32 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The text is positive and upbeat, with sweetly silly rhyming text, and adorable illustrations.  The characters are clever vegetable/animal hybrids (Pugtato, Tweetroot, Tomatoad, and others). The story follows Pugtato's adventures after he finds a mysterious thing and consults his friends and neighbors to see if they can help identify it.

With so many varied characters, the potential for silly read-along voices is stellar. The whimsical illustrations are deceptively simple looking but full of small rich details which will provide opportunities for 'hunt-and-find' during laptime or bedtime reading. It might be important to some readers to know that although Zondervan is a Christian publishing house, there is no overt Christian branding or proselytizing included in this book. The messages are of kindness and compassion, following one's dreams and trusting in oneself.

Four stars

 Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.