I overdosed on Atwood's adult books a few years ago, but I still love her children's books. Even translated, they are charming.

Read in German.

Abandoned by his bubble-headed mum and raised by a bunch of dogs, Bob is understandably bashful around humans. Deprived of her parents while still in diapers, Dorinda endures a dreadful existence with distant relatives. On a dark and drizzly December day, Dorinda and Bob meet on a vacant block bestrewn with bushes, buttercups, and benches. They become fast friends.

This is a very fun book to read because of Atwood's use of alliteration for her two characters, Bob and Dorinda. Illustrations by Dusan Petricic are very detailed and propel the story forward; also, Petricic's use of colours help to define whose story you're currently reading, Bob's in yellow or Dorinda's in purple, and when the stories finally combine. Because of the use phonics, I recommend this picture book for children learning letter sounds. ( )