Gracie's Baby Chub Chop

Linda Ludke is a librarian at the London Public Library.

Gracie and Fabio enjoy a life of canine contentment, with “Two bones
to chew, a rubber ball, / A teddy bear, an apple tree.” Their peaceful
routine is disrupted when Baby Chub Chop visits the family. Gracie tries
to tolerate the bald, drooling infant, but Fabio senses Chub Chop is
“no angel” and warns him to “Stay away. / Leave me alone. /
Don’t touch my rug, / My ball, my bone.”

Fabio’s instincts are soon proven correct. The toddler hides
everything he can get his hands on, from the telephone to “Fabio’s
kibbles and Gracie’s kippers.” The “pillaging, plundering Baby
Chop” wreaks havoc on the household, but Mother blames the dogs for
the mess. The maligned duo follow an inky trail of footprints to reveal
the true culprit.

Expressive watercolour-and-ink illustrations capture the mischievous
glimmer in Chub Chop’s eyes. Children will enjoy the comical scenes of
the canine sleuths finding missing treasure in the clothes dryer,
washing machine, and bathtub.

This funny story will resonate with children sharing their parents’
attention with a new sibling. The clever rhyming couplets make it a
great read-aloud choice. Highly recommended.