Boot & Shoe

* "With restrained humor and an eye for homey detail, Frazee (The Boss Baby) introduces near-identical terriers who lead a life that is "exactly perfect for both of them...".. Like Elisha Cooper's recent Homer, this is an everyday dog story elevated to a thing of beauty by understated artwork and prose. Frazee's hand-lettered type and the subtle differences between the well-groomed dogs add to the homespun, local vibe." --Publishers Weekly, October 1, 2012, *STAR "The sprightly lines of Frazee's black-pencil and gouache illustrations add to the humor of this nimble tale of misplaced assumptions, which is reminiscent of the physical comedy of a Buster Keaton movie and just as entertaining." --Horn Book Magazine, September/October 2012 * "This gem about canine siblings goes from peaceful routine to funny mayhem to erroneous bereavement--and relief.... Gouache and black pencil create warm vignettes and sturdy spreads with a vibe both lively and mellow. Creamy, speckled paper matches organic, hand-lettered text.... Frazee conveys painful and soothing depth with ease, which is especially impressive given that Boot and Shoe's eyes can't be seen. Read unhurried, in a lap, again and again." --Kirkus Reviews, July 25, 2012, *STAR * "Boot and Shoe, Shoe and Boot--they're a perfect pair.... Two-time Caldecott Honor winner Frazee creates the dogs' world in a series of cozy, expressive vignettes (nestled in plenty of white space), which capture the devoted friends' joy and angst in shades of muted green and yellow. Full-page spreads offer up views of their tidy house, both porches visible, and a particularly amusing image depicts (seemingly) hundreds of squirrels and shaggy pups chasing one another around, up, and over the structure. Rarely have dogs--or footwear--been so charming." --Booklist, August 1, 2012, *STAR * "There is genius in this tale's simplicity and Frazee's understated text, repetitive language, sentence structure, and perfect comic timing play the heartwarming humor to the hilt. The pencil-and-gouache artwork, set against creamy French vanilla backdrops, blends precise lines with fluid motion, and the muted colors subtly mirror the narrative's restraint and changing moods. The snow-white pooches, with their black button noses and eyes hidden by furry fringe, are true charmers, and their emotions are masterfully conveyed through eloquent body language. A dog-lover's delight and tender ode to friendship." --School Library Journal, August 2012, *STAR