School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--In Chan's latest, an Asian child's neighborhood walk with their pup encourages readers to slow down and connect with others. The story begins indoors as the child clips an orange leash on the eager pooch and, on the title page, leaves a low-rise apartment. The true-to-life stroll that follows mixes typical dog behavior (and waste) with short, sweet interactions with neighbors and community helpers. Whether keeping everyone safe, tidying things up, or rescuing a cat from a tree, the neighbors "take care of each other" and are "a big family." That's why, as the child narrator advises, it's important to always say, "Thank you, neighbor!" The walk eventually circles back home, where an adult greets the child with warm, steaming dumplings. The bright, colorful digital cartoon illustrations provide plenty of opportunities for engagement and discovery. Readers can peer through windows or look in backgrounds for small, often comedic, details. The urban setting's denizens are diverse in age and skin tone; a few use canes or wheelchairs. Of the many professions represented, one librarian's subtly tattooed arm is a delightfully stereotype-breaking touch. A visual reference to Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson's Last Stop on Market Street positions this similarly community-minded story with a strong sense of place as a wonderful companion. An author's note and photo (with real neighbors!) provides personal context about Chan's own walks through Brooklyn with her dog. VERDICT A welcome reminder for readers in all kinds of neighborhoods. Highly recommended.--Alec Chunn, Eugene P.L., OR
Publisher's Weekly Review
Social psychologists have shown that saying hello to the people one encounters can make one feel happier and more connected. Chan's (The Alpactory: Ready, Pack, Go!) young protagonist, cued as a person of Chinese descent, goes one better. On walks each day with a sweet-faced pooch, they trade "Thank you!" with the people in their multicultural community: the firefighter turning on a fire hydrant fountain, the person sweeping leaves on a sidewalk, the garbage collector who offers to take a bag of the hound's poop. But this sunny book also takes a no-excuses stand, suggesting that slowing down long enough to show appreciation, no matter how harried life becomes, isn't just politesse--it also holds people together. As the child walks past a packed bodega and into a library, where the librarian is barely visible behind a pile of books, the first-person narrative observes, "these words work in even the busiest times," reminding readers that treating a community like a big family is "what makes our neighborhood// feel like home." Crisp, digitized acrylic, gouache, and charcoal pencil art highlights a range of apartment dwellers liaising on narrow sidewalks, and the book's strong sense of the common good is as invigorating as a brisk walk. Ages 4--8. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Sept.)
Kirkus Review
Walking through the streets of a low-rise urban community, an Asian kid with a friendly dog greets neighbors and community workers, thanking them for their contributions. The detailed line-and-color illustrations beg for close inspection and practically tell the simple story by themselves, although there is also a limited amount of text and some dialogue in cartoon bubbles. The kid and the dog, who performs his normal bodily functions along the way, talk to lots of people, both adults and children. As they go through the streets and the library (the dog stuffed into the kid's backpack) and peek in on the crowded grocery store, the protagonist talks to the sanitation workers, the letter carrier, people cleaning in front of their shops, some firefighters rescuing a cat, and others opening the hydrant for children to cool off in its water. The child hails neighbors and friends, all enjoying an ideal city day. At the end, kid and dog return home to their apartment, proudly showing the library book (appropriately, Last Stop on Market Street, a book about a grandchild and grandmother) they checked out to a smiling older woman, waiting for the child with what appear to be Chinese dumplings. The community's inhabitants are robustly diverse, including different ages, racial presentations, and abilities. In a note, the author/illustrator writes fondly about her Brooklyn neighborhood. (This book was reviewed digitally.) This sweet book will encourage storytelling about readers' own local neighborhoods. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
