The unnamed baby, with a single curl on its bald head, shows up again, accompanied by Doggie, a purple stuffed animal who is the baby's constant companion. On the first spread, Doggie and the diaper-clad toddler look small and lonely against a deep purple background. As the pages progress, they are shown nervously approaching a number of "scary" things like swimming, strangers, and storms. Of course, while it is supposedly Doggie who is scared, it's the toddler who jumps, eyes wide, and reacts in fear.
The narrator, who is also the baby, has a number of solutions for "Doggie's" fears, from producing a blanket to comforting Doggie with the rehearsing of the routine of daycare. But when Doggie gets left behind, the baby is scared themselves this time! It's a good thing they find Doggie and he's always there for them when the next scary thing - bedtime - arrives.
The last spread compares things that can be scary with things that are comforting, from bad dreams to a night-light.
While most toddlers won't grasp the humor of the story - that the baby is really the one who is scared, although they keep saying it's Doggie, they will definitely understand the concept of being scared of new things or being lost and will find the final pages especially comforting. As with any book about childhood fears though, there's always the chance that a precocious child will use the book as a suggestion list to develop new fears, so parents should be aware of that possibility.
Verdict: While there are other books in the series that are stronger, this is still a strong contender in Patricelli's popular series and worth adding to your board book collection.
ISBN: 9781536203790; Published 2020 by Candlewick; Purchased for the library
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