near old dog's bed,
a pair of feet
touch the ground for the first time.
Thump-thump.
"You can walk!"
The endpapers show 'this old dog', leash in mouth and wide-eyed. He's watching as his owners (one very pregnant) put together a crib for the soon-to-arrive addition to the family.
In later days, young readers glimpse his morning routine. He's eager to welcome the new day, takes his time to move about, eats his breakfast, slurps his water, and then cleans up the mess he has made while dining. Now that the baby is here, things move a bit more quickly than his old body can take. He longs for slow walks, accompanied by a lot of time for smelling and listening. Instead, the walk is quickly over, leaving him to dream in the sun of the past when he was not so 'old'.
He wants a friend who will love what he loves; a friend who will find wonder in the small things in nature and life. Great happiness abounds when the baby girl puts feet to floor and walks ... slowly, steadily, and right to him. As she grows and becomes more ambulatory, she proves to be just what he has been hoping for!
This old dog has quite the personality, shown clearly in Gabriel Alborozo's winning illustrations. Those images clearly match Ms. Brockenbrough's homage to love shared between young and old. Enjoy it with someone you love.
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