Little Henry Korn carries a stray puppy home in his arms. He names him Charley. "This is home," he tells the puppy as he shows him around the house.
Henry's parents make it clear that he will be responsible for walking and feeding Charley every day. Their final order is quite hard to take: the puppy has to sleep in the kitchen rather than in Henry's bedroom. Henry sets him up with a comfortable pillow and gives him his old teddy bear to sleep with. He stays with Charley until he falls asleep. But several times in the night, the puppy wakes up and cries. Henry goes to him and comforts him. He carries him around the house, eventually ending up in his room.
The little boy shows his commitment to Charley during his first night. His love and empathy for what this puppy is going through is very spiritual. We marvel at how natural and realistic Charley's First Night is and the emotional warmth that emanates from such a story. This children's picture book has been designed for children ages 3 and up. The illustrations by Helen Oxenbury are a perfect match to the story's elegant simplicity.
