“Frankie’s home,” says the owner of a newly adopted small dog, and Frankie is all wagging tail and high-point ears on hearing it. Taking the idea of belonging to heart, Frankie wonders if everything else she sees is hers, too. The ball? (“Frankie’s ball?”) The bone? The (stuffed) puppy? The rope? The blankie? The bed? She comes to each new object with hopeful enthusiasm, only to have both object and enthusiasm snatched away by Nico, the old dog already in residence. (“Nico’s ball … bone … ” etc.) Irrepressible Frankie doesn’t stay sad long, however. She’s just finished collecting an array of substitute items from around the house when she hears her name being called (“Frankie’s name! Frankie’s name!”). A treasure trove of items like Nico’s have been bought just for her along with one little something extra. “Nico’s frog?” wonders the old dog. Nope. The minimal text is paired with expressive pencil and digitally colored illustrations that capture Frankie’s exuberance, Nico’s crabby resistance to change, and a final moment of endearing detente in a delightful picture book beginning readers may also enjoy. (Ages 3-7)

Frankie is EXCITED! 
  
A new home?  
A new bed?  
A new ball? 
  
But wait. 
  
Nico is already here. 
Nico’s home. 
Nico’s bed. 
Nico’s ball. 
  
Sharing is hard . . . 
  
Will Frankie find a place here too? 

The latest book from the Geisel Honor–winning author-illustrator Mary Sullivan features not one but two adorable pups with big personalites as they struggle to get along and find their places in the pack. At turns humorous and heartfelt, it appears that man isn't dog's only best friend when there is another dog to play with . . .