Dalmartian by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Dalmartian by Lucy Ruth Cummins

From the best-selling creator of STUMPKIN and OUR POOL comes an intergalactic tale of boy meets dog (kinda).

One night, a UFO lands in an ordinary backyard, and three green-spotted, dog-like aliens—Dalmartians—climb out and begin “collecting, bagging, and tagging specimens” When a boy named Stephen spots them, two of the Dalmartians flee, leaving one behind. Stephen is a gracious host and invites the alien into his house, but, despite similar looks to its terrestrial kin, this dog refuses to eat regular kibble or wear a leash. Compromise leads them on a two-legged walk to the park, where the alien dog is horrified by the prodding noses and shameless potty behaviors of the Earth pups. The alien canine nonetheless bonds with Stephen, and by the time otherworldly rescue comes, Stephen has made room for the peculiarities that come paw-in-paw with an alien dog. The art is as charming and quirky as the premise—the characters are drawn in minimalist charcoal strokes with much of their emotion conveyed through body language, and the alien’s neon-green coloring pops on every page to remind viewers of its out-of-this-world origin. Details in the background, like a cat looking on horrified at a “dog” walking on two legs or the alien running water in the bathroom for extra privacy, add to the silliness. The emphasis on compromise between Stephen and his guest effectively applies to both friendship and pet ownership, with Stephen’s expectations for how a dog should act constantly adapting to the Dalmartian’s needs and vice versa. Give this picture book to imaginative kiddos who might wonder what fantastical shenanigans their adopted pets were up to before settling down with their families.  NB -- BCCB * 5/1/24 *
" Spontaneous-feeling ink and charcoal line drawings, digitally finished, give the spreads plenty of terrestrial humor as the pages suggest that the satisfaction of human companionship offers life as a dog on Earth ample rewards." -- -Publishers Weekly * 2/12/2024 *
"A loving look at a friendship that spans the stars above." -- -Kirkus Reviews * 03/01/2024 *

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an author, illustrator, and art director of children’s books. She was happily paired with Jean Reidy for both Truman, which was named a New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2019, and Sylvie. She is also the author-illustrator of Stumpkin, Vampenguin, Dalmartian: A Mars Rover’s Story, Our Pool, and A Hungry Lion, or A Dwindling Assortment of Animals. Lucy has swum in creeks, streams, gorges, rivers, swimming holes, pools (above- and in-ground), lakes (both Great and Finger), decorative fountains, and oceans. Her very favorite place to swim, however, is at her community pool in Brooklyn with her sons and her neighbors.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781665911955
ISBN 10	1665911956
Title	Dalmartian
Author	Lucy Ruth Cummins
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Simon & Schuster
Year published	2024-05-09
Number of pages	48
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.