Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Fans of Gaston (2014) rejoice! Now it's Antoinette's turn to shine. Her mother, Mrs. Bulldog, is busy raising her four puppies. Each ridiculously cute pup has a special talent (cleverness, speed, strength), but Antoinette is still waiting to discover hers. One day at the park, where the pups are busily playing with Mrs. Poodles' brood, little Ooh-La-La goes missing! The pups race all over the city, pursuing doggy tracks through the streets and sidewalks of Paris, dodging café tables, bicycles, and broomsticks. Unstoppable star tracker Antoinette strikes gold she follows the runaway (who is chasing an orange butterfly) into the Louvre and saves her from a perilous fall from the top of the Winged Victory statue. The daring rescue is documented on witnesses' cellphones as they shout Trés bien! In a humorous spread, the author asks, Would you like to see that again? and four close-ups repeat the breathtaking save. Later, Antoinette grows up to become a famous police dog. Robinson's ability to portray diverse townspeople actively pursuing city life and gardens and buildings give special flavor to the chase, while a tantalizing glimpse of Mona Lisa's hands adds to the fun for repeated readings.--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a delightful sequel to 2014's Gaston, Gaston the bulldog's poodle counterpart, Antoinette, wonders what she has to offer compared to her bulldog brothers Rocky, Ricky, and Bruno, who are-respectively-clever, fast, and strong. Antoinette's mother has faith: "Chin up!" she barks. "You have something extra special. I can feel it in my bones!" That something extra is persistence, readers discover, as the two canine families realize that Gaston's brother Ooh-La-La is missing: "Antoinette felt a tug in her heart and a twitch in her nose. She could not-would not-give up!" From then on it's an action-packed romp, as Antoinette trails Ooh-La-La to the Louvre, smuggles herself past the guards, and carries out a heart-stopping rescue-complete with an instant replay-atop a famous sculpture. Robinson's Parisian spreads are full of retro verve, but he doesn't overlook the city's ordinary inhabitants-a garbage collector, a bubble blower in the park, a woman in a head scarf driving a car. DiPucchio excels in showing rather than telling, and it's clear that beneath Antoinette's fluffy exterior lies the heart of a hero. Ages 4-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-DiPucchio and Robinson follow up Gaston, their book about a French bulldog in a family of poodles, with a tale about his pal Antoinette, the lone poodle in a litter of French bulldogs. Antoinette's siblings all have special talents, but she's not sure what makes her stand out. All that changes, however, the day that Antoinette's and Gaston's families meet up and Gaston's sister Ooh-La-La goes missing. Stalwart Antoinette refuses to give up in the face of adversity and soon proves herself. Expressive and energetic, Robinson's acrylic illustrations are full of details that establish the Parisian setting, from the Eiffel Tower in the background to the beret on a painter in the park, and the climactic moment takes place in the Louvre, on the famed Winged Victory of Samothrace statue. The images have a flat, almost childlike feeling, with the artist using simple shapes to portray characters and objects and convey a sense of whimsy that matches the text. The focus is the dogs, but many ethnically diverse people appear in the background. While this is a straightforward story, with the familiar message that sometimes it takes time to discover one's raison d'être, DiPucchio brings a lighthearted, arch quality to her narration, breaking the fourth wall here and there ("Busy aren't they? And ridiculously cute, but please don't tell them that."). Overall, this picture book is bound to have children rapt until the conclusion-and soon begging for another read. VERDICT Sure to be a storytime hit, especially where Gaston is popular.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
