"Danny found a stick.
"Fetch, Scruff!" he called as he threw it into the sea.
Scruff plunged into the water, got the stick,
and brought it back to Danny.
"Clever, Scruff," said Danny. You've never done that
before. "Let's do it again.""
Finding wonder in rather ordinary places and events is a trademark of the books Anthony Browne writes for a young audience. This one is no different; he continues to pen thoughtful, wondrous work.
Danny is feeling a real sense of boredom; his mother is busy and his brother has gone off with friends. Mom suggests a beach walk with the dog. Danny is not keen; nothing happens at the beach. His mother offers sage advice:
"Keep your eyes open;
you never know what you might see."
Kids in the know might recognize this as foreshadowing, and may take a guess at what might transpire when they get to the beach. Scruff is happy to be out and about with Danny; he likes the beach. Playing fetch with a found stick offers a break from the monotony of their walk. It's the first time Scruff has retrieved a stick from the sea. They play until they need to find something else to do. Careful concentration at a rock pile produces some very interesting discoveries.
As they continue their trip along the shore, the two come to a group of people all waving their arms at something in the distance. Danny notices a tiny figure in the water, waving back. What is wrong? Not knowing what to do, Danny longs for advice from his brother. Remembering Scruff's new accomplishment, Danny encourages Scruff to head out to sea again.
Fetch, he tells him. Scruff does as he is instructed, even though it seems to be a very tiring swim for him. Finally, he heads back with someone following right behind him. Who could it possibly be? What great good luck the rescue turns out to be for all involved. I will leave you to make the discovery for yourself.
The artwork, as always, is quite amazing! Every spread is special and sure to offer open invitations for readers to pause and consider all the artist has included in page after page, front to back.
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