(record of first read lost in the transition from goodreads)
Not sure what to make of this. ?áI've loved other work by Baylor and by Williams, and I love the theme of the human boy and the prairie dog child taming each other, but something doesn't work as well as I would hope. ?áIs it that Baylor's poem is too long, or possibly too long-winded? ?áIs it the unsettling juxtaposition of fantasy and reality? ?áIs it that I feel the depiction of the Indians (? Mexicans?) is somehow patronizing or something? ?áNone of those are?áintrinsically?ábad enough to take away a star from the rating, but something's off.... ( )

A long-time favorite children's book that will go into my permanent Children's Library. Two stories work simultaneously. A small Mexican boy longs for a dog, but his poor family can't afford one and a small prairie dog thinks it would be wonderful to have a human amigo. In simple rhyme and with lovely illustrations by Garth Williams, the two stories are woven together. A moving, uplifting ending to delight young and old. ( )

A sweet picture book, story in rhyme, about a boy who wants a pet. His parents can't afford a dog, so living by the desert he decides to tame a prarie dog. The prarie dog also wants a pet, and decides to tame a boy. ( )