Sketty and Meatball

May 1, 2024
Like-minded canine pals attend a dog show. Sketty is a big, long-haired pooch; Meatball is short, round, and red, with expressive ears. But their superficial differences mean little. Their tongues usually loll out in concert, and together they bark, play, sniff flowers, roll around, and, tired out, "curl up together under the lemon tree and take a nice, long nap." Looking for something new to do one day, they decide to visit the dog show. The dogs at the show all seem different: "big dogs with little spots" and "little dogs with big spots," "hairy dogs, scary dogs, and very hairy scary dogs." Sketty and Meatball enjoy pointing out variations on their own looks. Which dogs do they like best? They're in perfect agreement: "hot dogs!" (Sharp-eyed readers might notice that Sketty likes ketchup, while Meatball chooses mustard.) After they eat, Sketty proposes a nap. Meatball doesn't have to voice agreement; he's already asleep, nestled against Sketty. The soft, tail-wagging, cartoonish illustrations are often set against Popsicle-bright backgrounds. The canines are only slightly anthropomorphized, and the dozens of other dogs are goofily distinctive. A pair we would happily hang out with again. (Early reader. 4-8)

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May 1, 2024

Gr 1-3-A lovable duo that will charm young readers. Sketty and Meatball are the best of dog friends. They do everything together: run, play, bark at the cat, and curl up under the lemon tree for a nap. Aptly named Sketty is a bigger dog with long, spaghettilike hair. Meatball is a round, brown dog who looks like a meatball. Readers will love their names and their friendship. When the friends go to a dog show, they see dogs of every kind. After spending the day making new friends, Meatball curls up with Sketty to nap under their favorite tree. Repetition shows how close the two dog friends are and is good for new readers. For example, one will often always ask, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" and the other replies, "I hope so." Then, Sketty and Meatball will blurt out the same answer together. Willmore captures the fun personalities of the dogs with colorful and playful illustrations. A note to parents at the beginning offers tips on shared reading, beginning reading, and reading alone, and a helpful web link promises more information. VERDICT A must-have for early readers.-Pamela Thompson McLeod

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
Grades K-2 Sketty, a tall dog with long, limp strands of spaghetti-like hair, and Meatball, a roly-poly sphere with short, reddish-brown fur, are two canine buddies who do everything together. They play, bark, and roll in the grass together, and if one sniffs a flower or wags his tail, the other does, too. One day, they attend a local dog show, where they admire the variety of dogs, including "silly dogs in long coats. / And chilly dogs in short coats. / Hairy dogs, / And scary dogs, / And very hairy scary dogs." What kind of dogs do they like best? Hot dogs! After lunch, they curl up for a long nap under their favorite lemon tree. Weeks uses repeated words, phrases, and sentences effectively within the narrative to build inexperienced readers' confidence while showing aspects of the characters and their relationship. Willmore's inviting illustrations help create the characters and settings while providing a useful, visual context for beginning readers who are attempting to decipher words. An entertaining, highly accessible addition to the I Can Read series.

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