Pickle on wheels

K-Gr 2--Kantorovitz, from the "Monti and Leo" series, returns with a new offering starring a personable dog named Pickle, who lives on his own with a small bird companion. Pickle is a big fan of SuperDog, a roller-skating TV hero, and soon receives the gift of roller skates and a helmet from his grandmother so he can be just like SuperDog. However, skating proves harder than it looks and Pickle makes several rookie mistakes. After taking a header into a haystack, Pickle wants to give up. A friend named Coco skates by and convinces Pickle to come practice, admitting to many falls herself. She inspires Pickle to keep practicing while supporting him both physically and emotionally. Soon he has improved so much that he offers another friend, Felix, the same help Coco had given him. A soothing pastel palette plays well with this story of friendship, perseverance, family, and community. Clear dialogue balloons are easily read. The action flows naturally from event to event, with four or five large panels per page. Hand this to fans of Nancy Carlson's series "Harriet" or "Arnie." VERDICT This series is a strong choice for early elementary graphic novel collections. Perfect for those who enjoy stories where kids make mistakes and problem solve solutions.--Elisabeth LeBris

Pickle the pooch perseveres with pals. Pickle's a huge fan of the TV showSuperdog, and after watching the latest episode, in which the superheroic protagonist roller-skates to the rescue of a falling child, Pickle becomes a skating fanatic. Grandma sends Pickle a present: skates and a helmet! "I can be like Superdog now!" Pickle says. But after taking a few tumbles, Pickle's ready to put away the skates. Coco, a spotted rabbit, appears on skates and offers to help Pickle practice; the two take things slow, skating while holding hands. Another spill tears a hole in Pickle's pants, but Coco offers some reassuring words and a bandage, and they keep at it. Later, Pickle assumes the role of teacher and rallies a similarly discouraged roller skater, Felix the bird. Felix compares Pickle to Superdog, making it clear that kind gestures and encouragement are the hallmarks of a true hero. By the end of the story, Pickle, Coco, and Felix are all skating together, three links in a chain of friendship. The repeated emphasis on process over results conveys a lovely lesson that never becomes preachy. Kantorovitz's spare, muted artwork is enchanting in its simplicity, depicting the pains of failing at a new hobby and the joys of finally triumphing; she also displays a keen eye for precious details such as Pickle's handwritten thank-you letter to Grandma and knee patches on the protagonist's now-mended trousers. A positively super lesson in persistence.(Graphic early reader. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.