Simon, a small brown dog, finds a nice bone near the pond, but then he spots an even better bone (his bone’s reflection in the water), held by a “scrawny little dog” that Simon could definitely take. A series of light competitions ensues, including a staring contest and a display of tricks, but the other dog is Simon’s equal. Finally (after issuing a warning growl) Simon jumps on the other dog, and both lose their bones. Seeing that the other dog now has no bone, Simon finds another bone, an even better better bone, and drops it in the water for his doppelganger. “Simon smiled. He’d lost a bone, but he’d found a friend.” A note at the beginning states that Simon’s encounter is based on Aesop’s “The Dog and His Reflection,” although “Simon gets a happier ending (he is a good boy, after all).” Effective use of vertical formatting positions the fur-and-bones Simon above the gutter, while his watery companion resides below. Simon is rendered adorably scruffy in pencil, colored pencil, and acrylic paint. (Ages 3-6)

Using the same innovative format as his Caldecott Honor winner, Mel Fell, Corey R. Tabor reimagines Aesop's "The Dog and His Reflection" in a clever, charming tale of empathy and generosity.

One day, down by the pond, Simon meets another dog just like him.

And that dog has a bone just like his, only better!

How will Simon ever get him to trade, when the other pup knows all the same tricks...?