If the dogs who are friends with unhoused people could talk, what stories they would tell! Thank goodness for the realm of fiction where their voices can be heard, as in this tale told by a canine narrator named Fluffy who walks through town every day with their family.
Fluffy wants to play with Andy, a playful gray dog they pass every morning along with his busking human friend. But we can see a taut leash holding Fluffy back — they're never allowed to go closer.
So what happens when Fluffy, chasing a ball, runs out of the park and gets lost among car tires and the sea of human legs? Now Andy's voice enters the story, and clearly he speaks for his unhoused human as well when he says, "You can stay with us. We'll help you find your way home tomorrow." Andy's human picks up Fluffy and we see this threesome walking safely beneath the traffic's roar into a well-lit tunnel, where they set up camp for the night.
The story continues in this heartening vein of loving care and diligent efforts by Andy's human, against the odds, to reunite Fluffy with family. And when he succeeds, you can imagine the thaw that melts the previous distance between Fluffy, Andy, and their respective humans.
Emma Chinnery's endearing illustrations underscore her reminder that, housed or unhoused, we all deserve respect and care. We enthusiastically recommend this book for readers ages four to eight.
