A little girl stays part of each week at her mom’s and part at her dad’s. No matter where she is, her dog, Fred, stays, too. But Fred has issues. At her mom’s he barks at the neighbor’s dog . . a lot. At her dad’s he steals socks . . . all of them. He can be masterful at making messes, too. Now neither parent wants Fred to stay at their home. Nancy Coffelt takes a realistic look at a child who has learned to navigate the demands of her parents’ divorce with relative ease but relies on—and asserts her need for—the friend who is a constant in the midst of all the change. A little creative problem solving and behavior modification is the key in this spare, ultimately upbeat story. Tricia Tusa’s illustrations deftly blend a subdued palette with whimsical lines to create images that are neither somber nor too lighthearted. (Ages 4–7)