  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 02/01/2020 Gr 2–4—This novel in verse alternates between the perspectives of two neighbor friends, Sam and Katie. One day, a skinny, unwashed dog walks through both of their yards. Sam and Katie witness the dog being mistreated by a number of their neighbors and are curious when the animal later returns to Sam's house. Sam's dad was outside painting an old table blue—when he goes inside, Sam and Katie get the odd idea to paint the dog; they end up drawing a blue daisy on her, even though they know it's wrong. Then, Blue Daisy ends up getting lost in the neighborhood. When Katie and Sam finally find her, they are disappointed to see that she is with neighborhood kids that they don't like, Michael and Miranda. But when Blue Daisy disappears again and ends up in trouble, the four kids rescue her together and forge a tentative friendship in the process. Even though the story is well written, the novel's format doesn't quite work. The text's tone feels disjointed, and the peripheral characters' mistreatment of Daisy goes somewhat unresolved. VERDICT Suitable for libraries where there is an interest in morality tales and dog stories.—Jill Baetiong, Bloomingdale Public Library, IL - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 01/01/2020 A scruffy stray dog attracts the attention of some neighborhood children in Frost’s slim, illustrated book. Dual protagonists Sam and Katie distinctly narrate their experiences, with Sam’s sections appearing in rhyming verse and Katie’s in standard prose. When these two friends find the pup sleeping in Sam’s yard, they are inexplicably compelled to use some pretty blue paint to brush a flower onto the stray’s dirty coat, thus christening her Blue Daisy. Understandably, Blue Daisy doesn’t appreciate being painted and runs off. The book then switches gears, as Sam and Kate are struck with remorse for their actions and grapple with the realization that, though “good” kids, they’ve clearly done something bad. Positive examples of parenting offer the children guidance as they learn important lessons in responsibility, forgiveness, and understanding, and a happy ending levels the playing field between “good” and “bad” kids through friendship and a home for Blue Daisy. Back matter features recipes connected to the story, and the note on poetry and prose easily ties the book to language arts lessons. - Copyright 2020 Booklist. Loading...
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